IPhone 16e’s Initial Sales Reportedly Surpass The IPhone SE 3’s
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Apple launched the iPhone 16e in late February, and it arrived in stores in early March. The device generated a bit of controversy due to the price increase compared to the previous iPhone SE. However, if you thought this would dampen interest in the device, you might want to think again. A report claims that initial sales of the iPhone 16e have far surpassed those of the latest iPhone SE model.
iPhone 16e’s sales exceed the iPhone SE 3’s by 60% in its first three days
The last device in the “SE” lineup was the 2022 iPhone SE 3. That particular model had a lower price tag, although it still maintained the old design language of classic iPhones with massive top and bottom bezels, in addition to the classic Touch ID sensor. It seems that many fans of the brand were eagerly awaiting a new “entry-level” iPhone model after almost three years.
According to Bloomberg, sales of the iPhone 16e were 60% higher than those of the iPhone SE 3 during its first three days. The 2022 iPhone SE had a starting price of $429, significantly lower than the $599 price tag of the new iPhone 16e. This led many to believe that the device’s sales could be affected by the price increase. However, this was not the case—at least initially.
Apple promotes the iPhone 16e as a device that offers the iPhone 16 experience at a lower price. However, the device has some significant compromises compared to the iPhone 16 devices. While this was expected given its more affordable nature, some have viewed the phone as overpriced. That said, this is not affecting its popularity.
Reasons behind the device’s popularity
There are some reasons that explain the reported healthy sales of the new iPhone 16e. First, it remains the cheapest iPhone in Apple’s current lineup. There are voices recommending buying the iPhone 15 instead of the iPhone 16e. After all, Apple designed the iPhone 15 as a premium device, so it surpasses the later iPhone 16e in some key areas. However, the base iPhone 15 is still priced at $699, which is $100 more expensive than the iPhone 16e’s starting price.
Plus, while the iPhone 15 outperforms the latest “affordable” iPhone in aspects like the camera experience, display quality, design, connectivity, MagSafe support, and other features, there’s one key area where it falls behind: memory. The new iPhone 16e boasts 8GB of RAM, something the base and Plus iPhone 15 models lack. This, in turn, gives it support for Apple’s Intelligence suite. It seems that Apple didn’t have plans to heavily invest in AI when it designed the iPhone 15 series, so only the Pro and Pro Max models are compatible.
Lastly, the iPhone 16e could also be a very interesting business phone. Companies that provide mobile devices to their employees will likely welcome Apple’s release of a new, more affordable model. It’s no secret that iPhone devices are more popular as business phones than Androids. The availability of updates for all models from day one is a key aspect.
