Back when the iPhone SE was still a thing, it was well understood that “SE” stood for “Special Edition,” but applying that logic to the iPhone 16e, which Apple announced on February 19, makes no sense. That would make it the “iPhone 16 Edition”.
That “e,” though, must stand for something.
Apple isn’t talking about it. Trust me, I asked. However, a little research reveals that Apple has used the “e” a couple of times before. There was 2002’s eMac, where “e” stood for “education.” Such a nomenclature made the product’s intention clear. Apple wanted schools to adopt this cheaper, boxy, candy-colored computer. I don’t think they were very successful.
Twenty years before that, Apple sold the Apple IIe, where the “e” on its second-generation and rather popular personal desktop PC stood for “Enhanced.”
As far as I can tell, those are the only other times Apple applied an “e” to a product name. However, the iPhone 16e is neither an “education” smartphone nor exactly an “enhanced” model.
There are other ideas that I think, upon reflection, make some sense, but first, we have to step back and ask why this new 5G, 128GB, 6.1-inch super Retina XDR-sporting phone is not called the iPhone SE 4.
What does ‘e’ mean to you?
Clearly, with its wealth of updates, including a more powerful rear camera (48MP fusion), the A18 chip that supports Apple Intelligence, Face ID, wireless charging, and the Action Button, this is nothing like any SE model. It has far more in common with all the other iPhone 16 models. The notch, instead of a Dynamic Island, is odd and feels like a throwback but otherwise, the iPhone 16e feels like part of the new family.
But those differences, like the notch, lack of MagSafe support, and the missing Camera Control, also make it distinctive.
Perhaps you’d accept that some of those missing attributes might not be core to the iPhone 16 experience (is the Camera Control necessary?) and, on balance, you might consider this $599 phone “exciting” because it’s comparatively affordable while still providing the “essential” iPhone 16 “experience”.
I think you get where I’m going. If I had to guess, I’d say that Apple is being a little “enigmatic” and using a handful of “e” words to define this model. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since it means the “e” in iPhone 16e can mean what you want it to mean.
I do think Apple missed an opportunity here. This is the first and only iPhone 16 with the new C1 cellular modem. The introduction of this piece of Apple Silicon is a huge deal and kind of makes the new phone special or “Special.” Why Apple didn’t name this the iPhone 16s is beyond me.
This might not have been the answer you were looking for, but I think it’s the one we’ve got. I hope everyone is okay with that.
