Apple's iPhone 16e makes some trades to hit a lower price, but it makes a case for itself as the cheapest phone that will last the longest.

If the iPhone SE was your device-of-choice before, the iPhone 16e might just be right up your alley. This iPhone is meant to deliver just the essentials.

First, the company shifted away from the “SE” branding after nearly a decade. Then it priced the budget phone higher than expected at $599 – a notable jump from the $429 iPhone SE.