Apple says iPhone 16e users don’t really care about MagSafe

iPhone 16e features USB-C, so the same cable can charge iPhone, Mac, iPad, AirPods, and other devices.

In his recent Daring Fireball review of the iPhone 16e, John Gruber shares insights from Apple representatives who claim that the device’s target audience doesn’t really care about MagSafe. According to them, most iPhone 16e buyers prefer plugging their phones into a charging cable over using wireless charging options like MagSafe, which has been a staple in recent iPhone models. Apple suggests that this demographic either doesn’t use inductive charging at all or isn’t bothered by the iPhone 16e’s slower 7.5W Qi charging speed compared to the faster MagSafe capabilities of pricier models. This reasoning, as Gruber notes, underpins Apple’s decision to omit MagSafe from the budget-friendly iPhone 16e, prioritizing cost and battery efficiency over a feature they believe their intended users won’t miss.

John Gruber for Daring Fireball:
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Peruse Apple’s comparison page, comparing the 16e to the 16 Pro and regular 16, and you’ll spot dozens of small differences. But the one omission that grabbed the most attention (and generated the most “WTF Apple?” reactions) is MagSafe. I own a bunch of MagSafe peripherals, and personally would never want to buy an iPhone without it… One week into using the 16e as my main phone, and I still miss MagSafe as much as I did the first night.

But according to Apple representatives, most people in the 16e’s target audience exclusively charge their phones by plugging them into a charging cable. They tend not to use inductive charging at all, and when they do, they might not care that the 16e is stuck with a pokey 7.5W Qi charging speed, when recent more expensive iPhones charge via MagSafe at 15W or even 25W. For me, it’s not the high charging speed I miss most; it’s the snapping into place. I think Apple knows the 16e’s intended audience better than I do.

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MacDailyNews Take: If you’ve never used MagSafe, as is the case for most iPhone SE users, you won’t miss it.

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