Apple reveals low-cost iPhone version, from 15.3 million VND

Apple yesterday (February 19) launched a low-cost phone with artificial intelligence, the iPhone 16e, designed to win back the mid-range customer segment at home and in important markets such as China and India.

iPhone 16e price from 15.3 million VND

The new phone, which ditches the SE naming convention for Apple's budget phone line, will compete with popular Android smartphones at a time when rivals Samsung and China's Huawei are adding AI tools to their devices.

Apple reveals low-cost AI version iPhone 16e, priced from 15.3 million VND.

Apple phone sales fell last quarter, and sales of its low-cost phone line have fallen sharply relative to iPhone revenue over the past decade.

The 16e will cost $650, up about $190 from the previous budget phone, the SE, despite having nearly the same features as Apple's flagship phones and including a powerful chip to run Apple Intelligence, a feature set that has access to ChatGPT. Aside from the lack of a wide-angle camera lens, the lack of buttons, and a slightly different display, the 16e looks pretty much identical to its more expensive siblings.

Late last month, Apple forecast strong sales growth, signaling a recovery in iPhone sales after a slump as it rolls out artificial intelligence features to more regions and languages. Analysts have warned that the rollout has been slow, and Apple has yet to formally announce a data partner in China for its AI features.

“We see limited demand for upgrades from previous versions for many entry-level users, but this new phone helps lower the cost barrier to entry into the Apple Intelligence pool,” said Forrester principal analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee.

According to Counterpoint Research, the SE's share of total iPhone sales has dropped from 10% when it launched in 2016 to about 1% last year.

The iPhone 16e could help Apple penetrate price-sensitive markets like Europe and China, where buyers tend to pay upfront for phones, said Ben Bajarin, principal analyst at consultancy Creative Strategies.

No wide angle lens

The iPhone 16e will be powered by the A18 chip used in the more expensive models launching in September 2024 and will support Apple Intelligence out of the box. It will be around 5 million VND cheaper than the cheapest iPhone 16 version launching in September 2024 and will only be available in black and white, while the more expensive iPhone 16 models come in a variety of colors.

iPhone 16e is equipped with A18 chip, supporting Apple Intelligence.

The 16e will also be Apple's first device to feature the C1 chip, its first in-house modem designed for cellular connectivity and a departure from the Qualcomm-made chips. The camera system will feature a 48-megapixel sensor and two lenses, one of which will be a dual-lens zoom lens integrated into the main camera, but there will be no wide-angle lens like on the more expensive models.

The 16e will have a cutout at the top of the screen for the front-facing camera, while the higher-end models will have a screen that wraps around the camera. It also ditches the camera control button that lets you adjust camera settings and is available on the main iPhone 16 line.

The SE models are known for their smaller screen sizes, but the 16e comes with a 6.1-inch display, the same as the cheapest iPhone 16. This year's much-anticipated update brings a change to the slab design, removing the SE's physical home button and introducing Apple's Face ID feature.

The iPhone 16e will be available for pre-order in 59 countries, including the US, China and India from February 21, with shipments starting February 28. The SE model will be the last iPhone model to use a USB Type-C port for charging, ditching Apple's proprietary Lightning connector and allowing it to return to the European Union (EU) market.

Apple has discontinued the third-generation SE and iPhone 14 models in the EU, as these products do not comply with local laws requiring the USB Type-C charging standard.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/apple-tiet-lo-phien-ban-iphone-gia-re-tu-153-trieu-dong-192250220155008962.htm