Werewolf makes a good point about the words in this article. 'Lowest cost' does not equal 'affordable.' Further, for a marginal (economics term) extra cost, one gets native MagSafe, way better optical image stabilization, and better cameras. If Apple would have priced the 16e at $529 or $499, it would sell way better. But for $200 extra (typically only $100 extra when they launch 17 series), the value proposition for the 16e is a bit questionable.

Quoteaffordable iPhones

"Less expensive" is not the same thing as "affordable".

"Affordable" is dependent entirely on the purchaser, not the seller and depends on where you live, your income and many other factors. World-wide, the average purchased phone price is US$350, so in fact, NO iPhone is generally "affordable" - it's generally considered a luxury/status purchase that most people who buy one save up for.

Hard PASS on the 16e because of lack of MagSafe charging.