Apple’s iPhone 16e Launch Killed Off These Iconic Features, Finally

When Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday it also discontinued the iPhone SE and with it went two iconic features that have been part of the iPhone lineup for more than a decade.

The new iPhone 16e brings with it Face ID and a USB-C port, two things that were previously unavailable on the budget-friendly iPhone SE.

Their presence also means that Apple has now killed off their predecessors — the company no longer sells any iPhone with a Lightning port or Home Button.

The move means that the iPhone lineup is now thoroughly modern and you’ll get a similar experience in terms of charging and security whether you buy an iPhone 16e or the range-topping iPhone 16 Pro Max. However, while the iPhone 16e does support wireless charging it’s important to note that it does not support MagSafe — although you can use a case that has the magnets built in so you can still use magnetic accessories.

The Lightning port arrived with the launch of the iPhone 5 more than a decade ago and has been on its way out thanks to an EU mandate that requires a common charger to be used on all phones and accessories. The iPhone 15 was the first phone to switch to USB-C and the move has been happening on the iPad lineup for years.

In terms of security, the arrival of Face ID means that there is now no longer support for Touch ID on the iPhone, although the fingerprint security system remains on the iPad Air, iPad mini, and base iPad model as well as the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.