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Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event is Tuesday, and we think you should wait to buy any new iPhone until then. Here’s why.
Patrick Holland Managing Editor
Patrick Holland has been a phone reviewer for CNET since 2016. He is a former theater director who occasionally makes short films. Patrick has an eye for photography and a passion for everything mobile. He is a colorful raconteur who will guide you through the ever-changing, fast-paced world of phones, especially the iPhone and iOS. He used to co-host CNET’s I’m So Obsessed podcast and interviewed guests like Jeff Goldblum, Alfre Woodard, Stephen Merchant, Sam Jay, Edgar Wright and Roy Wood Jr.
Expertise Apple | iPhone | iOS | Android | Samsung | Sony | Google | Motorola | Interviews | Coffee equipment | Cats Credentials
- Patrick’s play The Cowboy is included in the Best American Short Plays 2011-12 anthology. He co-wrote and starred in the short film Baden Krunk that won the Best Wisconsin Short Film award at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.
We are days away from Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event on Tuesday, where we expect the rumored iPhone 17 to be announced. The iPhone 17 will likely be a follow-up to the iPhone 16, which launched in 2024. However, Apple’s newest phone, the $599 iPhone 16E, was released in February and offers a unique appeal: Get some of the iPhone 16’s best features (a 48-megapixel camera, iOS 18 and an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence) for $200 less than the $799 iPhone 16.
But do you buy the iPhone 16E now or wait for the iPhone 17 to debut in a few weeks? We think you should wait to buy either. Here’s why.
Watch this: iPhone 16E Review
iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: Today
The iPhone 16E is meant to be a slightly more affordable version of the iPhone 16.
Apple/CNETThe iPhone 16E has the distinction of being Apple’s most affordable phone (before carrier discounts and deals) despite costing $170 more than the company’s previous cheap phone, the iPhone SE from 2022. The 16E is aimed at those who want to get the newest cheapest iPhone with all the Apple perks they expect, like a good camera, services like iMessage and FaceTime, and years’ worth of software upgrades.
The iPhone 16E carries the iPhone SE’s old mantle and uses parts of old iPhones to create an affordable one. For example, the 16E’s screen and body are similar to the iPhone 14 and it has the same processor that the iPhone 16 has. On paper, the 16E is an upgrade in nearly every way to the last iPhone SE. The iPhone 16E releases at the end of February. But if you want the iPhone 17, you’re going to have to wait because it doesn’t exist.
Apple hasn’t announced the iPhone 17, and you can’t preorder it yet. The next iPhone is just a bunch of rumors that paint the picture of a mythical newer phone that’s better than what’s available now. But the chances are high that Apple will release an iPhone 17 on Tuesday.
iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: Tuesday
The iPhone 17 hasn’t been announced yet. In this picture, we used an iPhone 16 Pro and put the number 17 behind it since there aren’t any photos from Apple of its unreleased phone.
Apple/Viva Tung/CNETWhat will the iPhone 17 have that the new iPhone 16E doesn’t? I have no idea because Apple hasn’t announced anything yet.
But we can look at some of the many iPhone 17 rumors and postulate why it may or may not be worth waiting weeks for. The biggest rumor is that Apple might debut a new iPhone model with an extremely thin design, as reported by The Information. Nicknamed the iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim, it would have the usual year-to-year additions, like a new processor and new software, but its main appeal will likely be its new design.
Every phone Apple has launched since 2020 has looked similar to the iPhone 12 and had flat sides, except for the iPhone SE. That same iPhone 12 design can seen in the iPhone 16 series including the new iPhone 16E. And while many Apple enthusiasts want an iPhone with a truly new design, there is logic to Apple keeping what works for its large base of iPhone users.
The iPhone 17 Air’s thin design could have a large 6.6-inch display that slots in-between the 6.1-inch screens on the iPhone 16 and 16 E and the 6.9-inch display on the 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 17 Air is also expected to have Apple’s C1 5G modem, the same one that debuted in the iPhone 16E according to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
But even if the iPhone 17 were out today, it’s meant for a different person compared with the affordable iPhone 16E.
iPhone 16E vs. iPhone 17: Budget or flagship?
The iPhone 16E is the only phone Apple sells that has a single rear camera.
Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNETThe true complicating factor between deciding between Apple’s brand-new cheap iPhone and its next unannounced flagship model is just that: Do you want a budget-version of the iPhone 16? Or do you want one of Apple’s more expensive premium models? And if so the real question should be do you want an iPhone 16 or wait for an iPhone 17?
Even though the only things we know about the iPhone 17 series are based on rumors, it will likely have a regular base model that starts around $800 and a more premium Pro model that starts at $1,000. Like the iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 has a different value proposition and will likely be aimed at a different user than the iPhone 16E.
It’s also unclear if Apple will release an affordable version of the iPhone 17 in 2026 — maybe the 17E? The iPhone SE series got updates every two to three years compared with the annual updates that Apple’s flagship line gets.
But if all you want is Apple’s cheapest, then the iPhone 16E is the way to go. And best of all, you can buy it today.
Buy a phone when you need it
The iPhone 16E will no doubt be the most affordable way to get an iPhone before carrier discounts and deals.
Apple/CNETUltimately, if your current phone is broken or has a cracked screen and you need to buy a phone now, then do so. Apple’s regular iPhone 16 is an amazing option and, if you’re looking to buy Apple’s cheapest phone, go with the iPhone 16E.
If you are due for an upgrade from your carrier, then things get trickier. Four months is a long time to wait, especially for a phone Apple hasn’t even announced or told us about. But if your current phone is working fine, hold onto that upgrade and reevaluate your situation Tuesday.
Apple iPhone 16E Specs vs. iPhone 16, iPhone SE (2022), iPhone 15
| Apple iPhone 16E | iPhone 16 | iPhone SE (2022) | iPhone 15 | |
| Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED display; 2,556×1,179 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate | 4.7-inch LCD; 1,334×750 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate | 6.1-inch OLED; 2,556×1,179 pixels; 60hz refresh rate |
| Pixel density | 460ppi | 460ppi | 326ppi | 460ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | 5.78×2.82×0.31 | 5.81×2.82×0.31 | 5.45×2.65×0.29 | 2.82×5.81×0.31 |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | 146.7×71.5×7.8 | 147.6×71.6×7.8 | 138.4×67.3×7.3 | 71.6×147.6×7.8 |
| Weight | 167 grams (5.88 ounces) | 170g (6oz) | 144g (5.09oz) | 171g (6.02oz) |
| Mobile software | iOS 18 | iOS 18 | iOS 15 | iOS 17 |
| Camera | 48 megapixel (wide) | 48 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultrawide) | 12 megapixel (wide) | 48 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Front-facing camera | 12 megapixel | 12 megapixel | 7 megapixel | 12 megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Processor | Apple A18 | Apple A18 | Apple A15 Bionic | Apple A16 Bionic |
| RAM/storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Expandable storage | None | None | None | None |
| Battery | Up to 26 hours video playback, 21 hours streamed video playback, 90 hours of audio playback. 20W wired charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging | Up to 22 hours video playback; up to 18 hours video playback (streamed). 20W wired charging. MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with 30W adapter or higher; Qi2 up to 15W | Battery size not disclosed (charger not included; supports wireless charging) | Undisclosed; Apple says up to 20 hours of video playback (16 hours streamed) |
| Fingerprint sensor | None (Face ID) | None (Face ID) | Home button | None (Face ID) |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | Lightning | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None | None | None |
| Special features | Action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connectivity, IP68 resistance | Apple Intelligence, Action button, Camera Control button, Dynamic Island, 1 to 2,000 nits display brightness range, IP68 resistance. Colors: black, white, pink, teal, ultramarine. | 5G-enabled; supports 25W wired fast charging; Water resistant (IP67); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging | Dynamic Island; 5G (mmw/Sub6); MagSafe; water resistant (IP68); wireless charging; eSIM; satellite connectivity |
| US price starts at | $599 (128GB), $699 (256GB), $899 (512GB) | $799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB) | $399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), $549 (256GB) | $799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB) |
| UK price starts at | £599 (128GB), £699 (256GB), £899 (512GB) | £799 (128GB), £899 (256GB), £1,099 (512GB) | £419 (64GB), £469 (128GB), £569 (256GB) | £799 (128GB), £899 (256GB), £1,099 (512GB) |
| Australia price starts at | AU$999 (128GB), AU$1,199 (256GB), AU$1,549 (512GB) | AU$1,399 (128GB), AU$1,599 (256GB), AU$1,949 (512GB) | AU$749 (64GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$999 (256GB) | AU$1,499 (128GB), AU$1,699 (256GB), AU$2,049 (512GB) |
