Apple iPhone 16e: iPhone 16e (A3212); 128, 256 or 512 GB; matte black and white. Physical SIM support varies by country; the US model uses eSIM only. The 2026 iPhone 17e is a separate model.
Apple iPhone 12: iPhone 12; 64, 128 and 256 GB. Apple’s UK spec page lists model A2403; bands depend on the model number. The iPhone 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are separate models.
| Specification | Apple iPhone 16e | Apple iPhone 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Release year | 2025 | 2020 |
| Chip | A18; 6-core CPU (2 performance + 4 efficiency), 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine Apple | A14 Bionic chip; 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine Apple |
| Cellular modem | Apple C1; 5G (sub-6 GHz, 4×4 MIMO), Gigabit LTE (4×4 MIMO) Apple | — |
| Display | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2532 × 1170, 460 ppi Apple | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED; 2532 × 1170 at 460 ppi; HDR display, True Tone, Wide colour (P3), Haptic Touch Apple |
| Design and glass | Aluminium enclosure, Ceramic Shield front, glass back Apple | — |
| Storage | 128, 256 or 512 GB Apple | 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB Apple |
| Rear camera | 48MP Fusion main camera (26 mm, ƒ/1.6, optical image stabilisation); 12MP 2x telephoto (52 mm) from the same sensor Apple | — |
| Video | 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps Dolby Vision; 1080p slo-mo at 120/240 fps; 4K 60 fps on the front camera Apple | HDR video with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 30 fps; 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps; 1080p slo-mo at 120/240 fps; cinematic stabilisation; HEVC and H.264 Apple |
| Front camera | 12MP TrueDepth, ƒ/1.9, autofocus; Face ID Apple | — |
| Battery and charging | Up to 26 hours of video playback; 50% in 30 minutes with a 20W or higher adapter; Qi wireless charging; built-in lithium-ion Apple | Up to 17 hours video, 11 hours streamed, 65 hours audio; built-in rechargeable lithium-ion; up to 50% in 30 minutes with a 20W or higher adapter; MagSafe up to 15W, Qi up to 7.5W Apple |
| Port | USB-C; USB 2 (up to 480 Mb/s) Apple | Lightning connector Apple |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax, 2×2 MIMO); Bluetooth 5.3; NFC with reader mode Apple | 5G (sub-6 GHz) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.0; Ultra Wideband chip; NFC with reader mode Apple |
| SIM | Dual eSIM (two active lines at once) Apple | Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM) Apple |
| Durability | IP68 under IEC 60529 (up to 6 metres for 30 minutes) Apple | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 metres up to 30 minutes, IEC 60529) Apple |
| Action button | Can be set to Silent mode, camera, flashlight, Visual Intelligence, a shortcut and other functions Apple | — |
| Size and weight | 146.7 × 71.5 × 7.80 mm; 167 g Apple | 146.7 × 71.5 × 7.4 mm; 162 g Apple |
| Brightness and contrast | — | 625 nits max brightness (typical); 1,200 nits max brightness (HDR); 2,000,000:1 contrast Apple |
| Design and materials | — | Ceramic Shield front, glass back and aluminium design; fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating Apple |
| Rear cameras | — | Dual 12MP: Main (ƒ/1.6, OIS, seven-element lens, 100% Focus Pixels) and Ultra Wide (ƒ/2.4, 120°); 2x optical zoom out, digital zoom up to 5x Apple |
| Front camera and Face ID | — | 12MP TrueDepth (ƒ/2.2); Dolby Vision HDR up to 4K at 30 fps; Face ID Apple |
| Operating conditions | — | Ambient temperature 0–35 °C; relative humidity 5–95% non-condensing; tested up to 3,000 m altitude Apple |
| Colours | — | Black, White, (PRODUCT)RED, Green, Blue, Purple Apple |
| Service programme | — | Free service programme for receiver (earpiece) no-sound issues; iPhone 12 and 12 Pro made between October 2020 and April 2021 Apple |