Apple’s latest offering, the iPhone 16E, hit the Indian market with a price tag of Rs 59,990, and I can’t help but chuckle at the audacity. It’s the kind of laugh you let out when someone tries to sell you a half-eaten sandwich for the price of a gourmet meal. Touted as the budget-friendly sibling in the iPhone 16 lineup, this phone promises the Apple experience at a “lower” cost. But strip away the shiny marketing, and what you’re left with is a device that feels like a masterclass in omission, priced laughably high for what it skips. Let’s dive into this formal rant and see if the iPhone 16E is worth your hard-earned cash—or if Apple’s just banking on our blind loyalty.
The Good: It’s an iPhone, Duh
To give credit where it’s due, the iPhone 16E does deliver the core Apple experience. FaceTime is a tap away, the single 48MP camera is reliable enough for your Instagram flex, and the simplicity of iOS wraps it all in a familiar hug. My friend swapped his ancient iPhone XR for this, expecting a steep learning curve, only to say, “Oh, it’s just my phone, but faster.” And he’s right—the A18 chip hums along nicely, the 6.1-inch OLED screen looks crisp, and the battery life won’t leave you scrambling for a charger by noon. It’s the cheapest new iPhone you can snag, starting at Rs 59,990 for 128GB, and for someone clinging to a relic like an iPhone 11, it’s a tempting upgrade. Blue bubbles secured, mission accomplished.
The Bad: Where Did All the Fun Stuff Go?
But here’s where the laughter turns sarcastic. For Rs 59,990, Apple hands you a phone that feels like it’s playing hide-and-seek with features you’d expect at this price. No MagSafe? Seriously? My iPhone 14 Pro snaps onto chargers and wallets like a dream, but the 16E says, “Nah, you get basic Qi wireless charging—deal with it.” No Dynamic Island either—just a tired old notch staring back at you, no fancy pill-shaped animations to make your notifications feel alive. And the camera? One lens. Compare that to the iPhone 16’s dual setup, and you’re missing ultra-wide shots and macro magic. It’s like Apple said, “Here’s a camera, singular—hope you don’t like variety.”
Then there’s the 60Hz screen. In a world where Android phones at half this price flaunt buttery 120Hz displays, the 16E’s standard refresh rate feels like a relic. ProMotion, that silky 120Hz goodness I enjoy on my 14 Pro? Nope, gatekept for the pricier models. For Rs 59,990, you’d think Apple could throw in something to make it feel premium, but instead, it’s a laundry list of “nope, not here.”
The Pricing Punchline: Rs 59,990 for What, Exactly?
Let’s talk about that price—Rs 59,990. It’s a number so comically high I half-expected Tim Cook to pop out with a “Gotcha!” In India, where every rupee counts, this feels like Apple’s taking us for a ride. A quick peek at the second-hand market shows refurbished iPhone 15 Pros going for Rs 60,000–65,000, packing ProMotion, three cameras, LIDAR, and Dynamic Island. Heck, I could sell my 14 Pro today for Rs 45,000—complete with all those bells and whistles—and still have cash left over after grabbing a used 15 Pro. Yet here’s Apple, asking a cool 60K for a phone that skips half the party.
The kicker? Apple Intelligence, their shiny AI toy, is the supposed justification. Except it’s not fully baked—updates will trickle in through 2025, so you’re shelling out for a feature that’s still learning to walk. My 14 Pro doesn’t have it, and I’m not crying over it. For 60 grand, I’d rather have MagSafe and an extra lens than a half-finished AI gimmick.
Who’s This For, Anyway?
The iPhone 16E is the spiritual successor to the SE line—except it’s not the steal the SE was at Rs 35,000–40,000. Back then, you got last-gen design with updated guts, and it made sense. Now, you get a modern shell with stripped-down insides, and Apple’s slapping a Rs 59,990 sticker on it like it’s a favor. If you’re upgrading from an iPhone XR or older and just want a no-fuss iPhone, sure, this works. It’s the path of least resistance to iOS, and for some, that’s enough.
But for anyone with a shred of discernment—like me, happily snapping pics with my 14 Pro’s triple cameras—this phone’s a hard pass. Had Apple priced it at Rs 39,000 or even Rs 45,000, I’d applaud the value. At that range, the missing bits wouldn’t sting so much. But Rs 59,990? It’s a punchline only Apple could deliver, betting we’ll buy anything with their logo. Spoiler: I’m not laughing hard enough to open my wallet.
Final Thoughts: A Missed Opportunity
The iPhone 16E could’ve been a budget king, a gateway to Apple’s ecosystem for the masses in India. Instead, it’s a middling effort priced like a premium contender. It’s got the basics—performance, a decent screen, that iPhone vibe—but the omissions pile up fast, and the cost doesn’t add up. When a second-hand 15 Pro or even my trusty 14 Pro offers more for less, the 16E feels like Apple’s overconfidence in action. Maybe they think we’ll buy it just because it’s an iPhone. Maybe they’re right for some. But at Rs 59,990, this phone’s more of a head-scratcher than a must-have. Save your money—or at least spend it where the features match the price tag.
