I’m probably the only person on the Android Central staff that has not owned an iPhone.
I’ve expressed my interest in buying an iPhone a few times, much to the surprise of my friends and family. It grew mostly out of a desire for Apple to bring back the iPod Touch, which it clearly has no interest in doing. I would frankly prefer not to commit to a whole-ass iPhone in order to get the iOS experience. However, if I must, then I would prefer not to spend iPhone 16 Pro Max amounts of money to do it, even if it’s the most intriguing device of the bunch.
So, I decided that I would wait for the iPhone 16e. At the time, I assumed it would fall under the iPhone SE moniker, and while the 2022 model was enticing as an iPod Touch replacement, I figured I could hold out for the next model.
As the years went by, rumors would emerge about what the iPhone 16e would be. That included talk of an OLED display (finally) and a more modern design. Conflicting rumors went back and forth on whether it would have a notch or Dynamic Island, but it seemed like the iPhone 16e would be the cheap iPhone of my dreams.
And for a quick second, it was. Kind of.
The iPhone 16e is asking a lot for a little
When the iPhone 16e launched, I found myself quite perplexed and at odds over the choices Apple made.
Sure, it has an OLED display for richer blacks and better contrast, but the display is stuck at 60Hz. I don’t remember the last time I used a phone with that refresh rate, and I regularly review the best cheap Android phones from companies like Motorola, phones that easily cost half the price of the iPhone 16e. Even the $399 Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 has a 120Hz OLED panel, which looks great, I might add.
Then, there’s the camera. Singular. The iPhone 16e has a single rear camera on the back, which is kind of unacceptable for a $600 phone. I’m not saying Apple should stick four cameras on the phone just for the sake of having multiple cameras, but the lack of even a secondary sensor is perplexing.
Nearly everything about the iPhone 16e was telling me not to buy it. Even Harish Jonnalagadda says in his iPhone 16e review that it’s “a good phone, but a bad value right now.” However, with it currently being the most affordable “new” iPhone that I can buy, I was close to pulling the trigger… that is, until the Pixel 9a launched.
The 9a pretty much affirmed my apprehensions: Apple doesn’t really know how to do value.
The Pixel 9a proves Google knows how to make a value phone
I’m not the biggest fan of Pixel phones, but I can’t deny that they’re some of the best phones you can buy. That’s why I wasn’t surprised to see that Google pretty much nailed the Pixel 9a. Based on the specs and the Pixel 9a hands-on from Android Central senior editor Michael Hicks, the phone feels like everything the iPhone 16e should’ve been.
The phone has a larger OLED display that’s more than 2x brighter and with a faster 120Hz refresh rate. It features a secondary 13MP camera for ultrawide shots, something (I learned from using the Razr Plus 2024) I realized I can’t really go without.
You also get a faster USB standard on the Pixel, and while I can’t speak to battery life just yet, the 5,100mAh battery and 30+ estimation from Google sounds pretty good compared to the 4,005mAh unit found in the iPhone 16e.
Furthermore, Apple has also been fumbling its AI rollout, delaying its long-awaited Siri upgrade. Meanwhile, Google has been going full-stream ahead with Gemini, to the point where it’s now prepping to replace the tried-and-true Google Assistant later this year. The Pixel 9a won’t have every feature from the Pixel 9, and not all AI features will be processed on-device, but Google’s software and AI are pretty solid, with plenty of fun features for Pixel 9a users to take advantage of.
I’ll also mention that you get more interesting color options with the Pixel, which is more than I can say for the rather bland black or white iPhone 16e.
This is all for a phone that costs $100 less than the iPhone 16e.
|
Category |
Google Pixel 9a |
iPhone 16e |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Google Tensor G4 |
Apple A18 |
|
Display |
6.3-inch Actua pOLED display, 1080 x 2424 resolution, 120Hz, 2700 nits peak brightness |
6.1-inch OLED, 2532 x 1170 resolution, 60Hz, 1,200 nits peak brightness |
|
Operating System |
Android 15 |
iOS 18 |
|
Memory |
8GB |
8GB |
|
Storage |
128GB, 256GB |
128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
|
Battery |
5,100mAh |
26 hours of video playback (exact mAh unknown) |
|
Charging |
23W wired, Qi wireless charging |
20W wired, Qi wireless charging |
|
Rear camera(s) |
48 MP wide camera, 13MP ultrawide camera |
48MP single camera |
|
Front camera |
13MP front camera |
12MP front camera |
|
Durability |
IP68, Gorilla Glass 3 |
IP68, Ceramic Shield |
|
Colors |
Obsidian, Porcelain, Iris, Peony |
White, Black |
|
Weight |
185.9 grams |
167 grams |
|
Dimensions |
154.7mm x 73.3mm x 8.9mm |
146.7mm x 71.5mm x 7.80mm |
The iPhone 16e still as some good things going for it
That’s not to say the iPhone 16e doesn’t have some pretty compelling specs. The A18 chip is mighty impressive and is probably much more performant than the Tensor G4. And despite having just one camera, I’ve always been impressed with Apple’s imaging, and it looks like it still takes great images and videos, even if you miss the option to take wider shots.
There’s no doubt Apple’s FaceID is a superior facial authentication method (although I do prefer fingerprint sensors), and the Action Button is a feature I would like to see on more phones.
Aesthetically, the iPhone 16e just looks a lot better. The new camera housing on the Pixel 9a just looks awkward.
You also get more storage options with the iPhone 16e, going all the way up to 512GB. The downside is that it will obviously cost you much more, with the 128GB iPhone priced $100 higher than the 128GB Pixel 9a.
The Pixel 9a and iPhone 16a are gateway phones
Ultimately, the Pixel 9a and iPhone 16a are both affordable ways to get hold of some of the latest hardware and software on both Android and iOS. If you’re already baked into one OS and holding onto a previous A-series Pixel or iPhone SE, then these may be worth upgrading to. They’re also good ways to bring in younger family members without breaking the bank on a new phone.
Harish says the iPhone 16e is aimed at “older iPhone users looking to switch to a (relatively) affordable model with the latest hardware,” and this could also be said for the Pixel 9a.
That said, it feels like the Pixel 9a is a much better deal, with mostly better specs and a lower price tag for someone looking to save money on a new phone. Even if you’re an iPhone user, if you don’t have any allegiance to iOS, this is a phone worth keeping an eye on.
As for me, maybe I’ll just wait until Apple releases an iPhone 17e or iPhone Flip.
Value done right
The Pixel 9a is one of the most affordable ways you can get your hands on an AI phone. Thanks to the powerful Tensor chip, you’ll have the power of Gemini in your hands for half the price you’d pay for a flagship.