With Friday's launch, the iPhone 16e has become the newest member of Apple's iPhone 16 family and the company's latest low-cost iPhone option, though it does come in at a significantly higher price point than the outgoing iPhone SE.
Other major Apple news and rumor stories this week included new details on both the iPhone 17 lineup coming later this year and Apple's first foldable iPhone expected in 2026, as well as additional tidbits from the initial iOS 18.4 beta and more, so read on below for all the details!
iPhone 16e Reviews: Is It Worth $599?
Following last week's introduction of the new iPhone 16e, the first media reviews landed just ahead of the device's official launch on Friday.
Apple's new cheapest iPhone includes excellent battery life thanks to a larger battery, Apple's custom C1 modem, and other optimizations, though there are some compromises such as a single rear camera, a lack of MagSafe support, and a lower-spec A18 chip than in the regular iPhone 16.
Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Reportedly Has No Visible Display Crease
Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices.
Another rumor claims that Apple's foldable iPhone will have a 5.49-inch external display with an inner display that measures 7.74 inches when unfolded, while both displays will have an "unprecedented aspect ratio."
6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model. While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way.
Hypertension detection is expected to make its way into the Apple Watch Ultra after many years of development, satellite connectivity is expected to expand from the iPhone to the Apple Watch, brighter displays are likely in the works, and more.
Revealed: Entire iPhone 17 Lineup's Striking New Camera Designs
We're expecting some significant changes for the iPhone 17 lineup when it launches later this year, particularly with the rear of the devices, and a new set of CAD renderings shows what we may see.
The renderings are in line with previous rumors about a dual-material back casing for the Pro models with a significantly larger camera bump across the entire top portion of the devices, while the all-new ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" will have a similar but smaller camera bump.
iOS 18.4 Includes a Small But Useful Change for CarPlay
While the Apple Intelligence-powered Siri overhaul appears to have been pushed back to a later update, the first iOS 18.4 beta does include some new features, and one of the small but welcome ones is a nice CarPlay improvement to display more app icons on CarPlay Home in some vehicles.
Other features in the initial iOS 18.4 beta include Priority Notifications for Apple Intelligence devices to help identify which of your notifications are likely to be the most important and bring them to the top of your Lock Screen, a new Ambient Music feature, and a new Food section for Apple News+ subscribers.
iOS 18.4 and related updates are scheduled to be released to the public in early April.
AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch in May or June With These New Features
We've been hearing for some time about a second-generation AirTag, and a new rumor claims it could arrive in May or June.
While the claim doesn't include any detail about what to expect in the updated model, previous rumors have pointed to range improvements, a more tamper-resistant speaker to help address stalking concerns, and potentially some sort of special Apple Vision Pro integration.
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