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

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.

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.