iPhone 16e launched without MagSafe – What’s the reason behind Apple’s move?

The iPhone 16e, Apple's most affordable iPhone to date, is currently available in India and other international regions. The iPhone 16e, which is powered by the A18 processor and supports Apple Intelligence, offers powerful performance at a reduced cost. However, tech fans are questioning why Apple eliminated several important features like Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Dynamic Island, and MagSafe.

MagSafe, a technology that was first introduced with the iPhone 12 and allows for quicker wireless charging as well as compatibility for magnetic attachments like wallets and chargers, is one of the most significant upgrades in the iPhone 16e.

Why iPhone 16e do not have MagSafe?

According to Apple, the iPhone 16e's target market prefers wired charging, hence MagSafe is less applicable to this market. The previous Lightning connector has been replaced by a USB Type-C port on the phone. In comparison to the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro's 15W and 25W MagSafe charging rates, the iPhone 16e only supports 7.5W Qi charging, which is significantly slower. Removing MagSafe lowers expenses because Apple thinks that consumers in this price range are more used to cable charging.

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The iPhone 16e does not have UWB connection, which is necessary for accurate location monitoring with gadgets like AirTags, in addition to MagSafe. Although Apple's item trackers benefit from this capability, the company has once again defended its exclusion by claiming that iPhone 16e users are not the intended audience for such sophisticated capabilities. Eliminating UWB also helps to keep the phone's price low.

iPhone 16e price revealed! Then, who should buy it?

The cheapest option to get into the Apple ecosystem is with the iPhone 16e, which starts at Rs 59,900 for the 128GB variant. For those who like MagSafe and UWB, the more expensive iPhone 15 (Rs 69,900) and iPhone 16 (Rs 79,900) are a preferable option because they frequently go on sale at attractive rates. The iPhone 16e is still a good choice at a reasonable price for those that want cable charging and don't care about MagSafe or UWB.

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