Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

apple.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

701–710 of 857 posts

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#701

Post by beretguy »

js2 wrote: post #71
doctoboggan wrote: post #20

Is this a replacement for the "SE" line? It seems similar to the previous SE models in that it's cheaper, uses an older body, and is released in an off month. The marketing copy in the OP also compares it to the older SE phones. I am guessing that's the end of the small phone line at Apple.

> I am guessing that's the end of the small phone line at Apple. That really ended with the 13 mini on which I'm typing this comment and that I'll hold onto till it's no longer supported.

That really ended with 1st Gen SE.

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#702

Post by londons_explore »

nimish wrote: post #671
bri3d wrote: post #620

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tacking on: the devil in a modern baseband is in the firmware. The analog domain stuff is generally handled by increasingly commoditized RF frontends outside of the baseband processor, and then either clean analog IQ or more recently, even digital samples (DAC and ADC moved to frontend) are sent to the baseband processor. A baseband is a really fancy specialized SDR. Most are based on arcane VLIW DSP architectures li…

If you look at the math it's not even that complicated. Basic statistical inference and information theory. Seems like the difficult part is doing that effectively while avoiding IP issues -- patents on software and math have entrenched Qualcomm's dominance. Imagine if all of the IP for ML or AI were held by a single company that got the regulating body (ITU/3GPP) to require their use. Makes a mockery of FRAND terms.

Patents are the main thing here.

Building a cellular modem, complete with working protocol stack, entirely in software has been done as a 1 person open source project.

Making a production -ready modem is clearly more complex, but far from hard for a company with the resources of Apple.

However, doing so whilst not violating any of qualcomms huge array of patents is the real challenge.

I'm willing to bet that the release date of this phone probably closely aligns with the expiry date of a patent they couldn't work around.

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#704

Post by qwerpy »

stilldavid wrote: post #389
runjake wrote: post #336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It works fine, you just have to manually align it, like any other Qi charger. I half suspect you're trolling based on this and your other comments under this post, but in case you're not, the Magsafe charger specs state they are Qi compatible. https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MX6X3LL/A/magsafe-charger... > The MagSafe Charger is compatible with Qi2 and Qi charging, so it can be used to > wirelessly charge your iPho…

Not OP but I have the Anker 3-in-1 Cube and it was $150 when I bought it a year or two ago. It charges a phone, watch, and airpods at the same time, and sparks joy for me. https://www.anker.com/products/y1811

I got a Belkin one 5 years ago for about the same price. Charges my phone and watch! Awesome. Then the next year I got a 13 Pro Max, and the charging coils didn't line up. Phone won't charge. I swore to never buy $150 chargers ever again.

I paid $25 for something from China. It took a month to arrive, but it works great.

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#705

Post by londons_explore »

ytch wrote: post #629
insane_dreamer wrote: post #404

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple managed to design its own state-of-the-art CPUs. I wouldn't have imagined that designing its own modem would be such a difficult challenge?

The CPU/SOC operates independently with limited protocols (such as PCIe, NVMe, etc.). In contrast, a baseband processor must communicate with various base stations and core networks, requiring precise timing, physical signal alignment, and correct message formats. Even though the 3GPP defines mobile network standards, achieving full compatibility remains extremely challenging.

When you're apple, you can just be mostly compliant, and the worlds mobile networks will have to work around your bugs.

Nobody will use a phone company that doesn't work with iPhones.

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#706

Post by _kb »

Nition wrote: post #669
FinnLobsien wrote: post #621

The e stands for electronic, marking a departure from traditional mechanical iPhones

Just like the eMac, where we finally moved beyond the primitive mechanical relays used in the iMac G3.

You’re also forgetting the original leather bound MacBooks and the somewhat contentious introduction of reverse scroll, with calligraphy on both sides!

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#707

Post by nicoburns »

wilg wrote: post #695
prng2021 wrote: post #680

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What should they have said to make it non-misleading?

"It has more battery life than the iPhone 16 but less than the iPhone 16 Pro."

Bigger phones have bigger batteries, making it not a like for like comparison.

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#708

Post by gorgoiler »

pivo wrote: post #141
idontwantthis wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People love biggest phone for some reason regardless of features.

I like the bigger phones because of my poor vision and fat fingers. Easier to read, easier to type on.

Large phones are great for spectacle free use. You can hold the two feet away from you and still see everything while being able to actually focus.

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#709

Post by gffrd »

ksec wrote: post #75

It is an iPhone 16, inside iPhone 14 Body, Single Camera from iPhone 16, with iPhone 14 OLED Screen, Apple Modem, Without UWB, Minus 1 GPU Core on A18, 7.5W MagSafe Charging same as iPhone 14. Wifi 6 instead of Wifi 7 on iPhone 16. However at $599, higher than the rumoured $499 or $549 pricing. iPhone 14 previously at $599 and iPhone SE at $429 are now gone. Getting rid of iPhone 14 and iPhone SE as they are both usi…

Hard-to-differentiate product offerings tend to drive people into the waiting arms of higher-spec (and cost) products, while still allowing a company to make a claim for a certain pricepoint.

You see this in telecom a lot.

Re: Apple Debuts iPhone 16e

#710

Post by gffrd »

crossroadsguy wrote: post #350
Mistletoe wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish they would make a mini version of this, it would be perfect. After the 13 Mini, us small phone lovers are screwed.

You must let go. This not happening anymore. That boat sailed for all OEMs. It will just lead to heartache and defeat and frustration or a combo of these.

The good news: by the time parent's 13 dies, we'll all have computers embedded in our brains! Checkmate!
Post reply on HN