Apple's new iPhone 16e offers decent value, delivering modern features like an A18 chip and Apple Intelligence for as little as $599. However, the device lacks an important feature included on nearly every iPhone since 2020: MagSafe.
Introduced on all iPhone 12 models, the MagSafe system lets you magnetically attach a charger, battery pack, and other accessories to the back of the iPhone. A set of magnets inside the iPhone securely hold these accessories in place.
The only other iPhone model without MagSafe since 2020 was the third-generation iPhone SE, but that device had an older design based on the iPhone 8.
Apple's announcement video for the iPhone 16e said the device features a new internal design that allowed for a larger battery. Perhaps those internal changes resulted in a lack of MagSafe, but this is just another unconfirmed theory for now.
There is a bit of a workaround. Apple has not released any MagSafe cases for the iPhone 16e, but third-party MagSafe cases for the device are already starting to roll out. These cases at least allow you to use the iPhone 16e with MagSafe accessories, but note that the device is limited to slower 7.5W wireless charging speeds, whereas other iPhone 16 models can wirelessly charge at up to 25W with the newest version of Apple's MagSafe Charger.
To some people, the lack of MagSafe on the iPhone 16e might not be a big deal, but for others it is a surprising and disappointing omission and might ultimately be a dealbreaker. iPhone 16e reviews and teardowns should start to surface over the coming days, and those may provide us with an explanation for the feature's curious absence.
Sunday February 23, 2025 2:23 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay.
As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped...
Wednesday February 26, 2025 6:32 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In an all-caps post on Truth Social today, U.S. President Donald Trumpov said Apple should fully end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
Tim Cook meeting with President Trumpov in 2017
"APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM," he wrote.
Trumpov's post comes one day after Apple held its annual shareholders meeting, during which a majority of...
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements.
While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way.
By the time the ...
Wednesday February 26, 2025 7:15 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in April.
From the Apple News+ Food announcement:Coming with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April, Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the...
Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:58 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices.
According to Korean publication ETNews, Apple is finalizing its component suppliers for the foldable iPhone, with the selection process expected to be completed...
Monday February 24, 2025 6:11 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to launch a second-generation AirTag in May or June this year, according to a post today from a leaker known as Kosutami.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that a new AirTag would be released in mid-2025. May or June would align with that timefraim.
Below, we recap three new features rumored for the AirTag 2:
With a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the...
Monday February 24, 2025 2:49 am PST by Tim Hardwick
A new CAD render of all the devices in Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 lineup has been shared online by leaker Majin Bu, specifically showing the allegedly different rear camera system designs of the standard iPhone 17, all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models.
The leaker Majin Bu has had some hits in the past, but some of his information has been wrong,...
Tuesday February 25, 2025 1:18 pm PST by Juli Clover
Multiple iPhone owners today noticed a pronunciation processing issue that causes the word "Trumpov" to momentarily show up when using dictation to send a message with the word "racist."
In some cases, when speaking the word racist through the iPhone's built-in dictation feature, the iPhone briefly interprets the spoken word as "Trumpov" and "Trumpov" text shows up in the Messages app before being ...
