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Apple Explains iPhone 16e MagSafe Removal, Says Target Audience Prefers Wired Charging

Apple Explains iPhone 16e MagSafe Removal, Says Target Audience Prefers Wired Charging

Here's why the iPhone 16e supports only 7.5W wireless charging, unlike MagSafe's faster 25W charging speeds.

Written by David Delima | Updated: 28 February 2025 12:23 IST

Apple Explains iPhone 16e MagSafe Removal, Says Target Audience Prefers Wired Charging

Photo Credit: Apple

iPhone 16e is equipped with Apple's first in-house modem

Highlights

iPhone 16e was launched on February 19 and goes on sale today
The smartphone features Apple's latest A18 chip and its first 5G modem
Apple removed support for MagSafe charging on the iPhone 16e

iPhone 16e was launched by Apple earlier this month, and the company's most affordable smartphone went on sale in India and global markets on Friday. While the smartphone comes with the latest A18 chip and support for Apple Intelligence, it doesn't have other features found on recent iPhone models such as the Dynamic Island, MagSafe, and support for Ultra-Wideband (UWB) connectivity. The company recently explained its decision to launch the iPhone 16e without support for its magnetically attached wireless charging standard that also supports several accessories from third party firms.

Apple Says Most Users in iPhone 16e Target Audience Don't Use Wireless Charging

In his review of the iPhone 16e, John Gruber highlighted the lack of support for MagSafe on Apple's latest smartphone. The removal of MagSafe on the iPhone 16e has been one of the most notable hardware omissions on the new handset, along with support for UWB connectivity, which enables support for precise tracking of AirTags and similar accessories.

Gruber states that he was told by Apple representatives that most users in the target audience of the iPhone 16e don't use MagSafe. These users typically prefer charging using a cable (the new iPhone 16e features a USB Type-C connector instead of the older Lightning port) and occasionally use the older Qi charging standard, which is supported on the recently unveiled handset.

iPhone 16e Battery Capacity Reportedly Larger Than iPhone 16 Pro

The lack of support for MagSafe on the iPhone 16e means that users can only charge the smartphone at 7.5W using a Qi charger, while its more expensive siblings — the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro — offer support for 15W and 25W wireless charging using MagSafe.

Another advantage offered by MagSafe since the iPhone 12 is the ability to hold the wireless charging puck at the back of the iPhone and have it "snap" into position using the magnets. Over the past five years, MagSafe accessories have also become commonplace, and Apple has built features like Standby Mode, which allows users to see useful information on their screen while charging their phone horizontally.

In India, pricing for the iPhone 16e starts at Rs. 59,900 for the base model with 128GB of storage. The more feature-packed iPhone 15 (launched in 2023) is listed at Rs. 69,900 on Apple's website, while the iPhone 16 is priced at Rs. 79,900. However, these handsets are typically available at lower prices — they're currently listed at Rs. 61,499 and Rs. 72,400 on Amazon, respectively.

Apple iPhone 16e

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Light and compact design
Powerful Apple A18 SoC
Customisable Action Button
Good battery life

Bad
Low light camera performance is below average
Available in just two basic finishes
Large display notch with thick borders
60Hz refresh rate display
Slow wireless and wired charging

Read detailed Apple iPhone 16e review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1170x2532 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.30-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1206x2622 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 15

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Big upgrades over the 14
Excellent ergonomics, build quality
Very good all-round performance
Apple ecosystem benefits

Bad
Relatively slow charging
Expensive
Still a 60Hz display

Read detailed Apple iPhone 15 review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A16 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 6GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 17

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iPhone 16e, MagSafe, Apple, Wireless Charging

David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More