I came across something strange. Let me explain. I posted a grumpy article Monday citing the lack of MagSafe support as the single most annoying thing about Apple’s new iPhone 16e. Having lived through and reviewed large segments of four consecutive iPhone

The iPhone 16e settles it: Apple is no longer a luxury company. The original Mac icon artist is selling a set of adorable silver and gold keycaps. Oppo’s new folding phone transforms into a teeny-tiny MacBook.

We now have confirmation of why the iPhone 16e lacks MagSafe, and the reason is not solely financial.The Latest Tech News, Delivered to Your Inbox

Apple has offered a reason why the iPhone 16e doesn't include MagSafe, one of the more notable omissions from its latest entry-level smartphone.

The iPhone 16e doesn't feature MagSafe support. Apple explained why it left this beloved iPhone function behind on this model.

You can’t add actual MagSafe to an iPhone 16e, but you can add the ring of magnets that helps align charging coils and hold your phone onto charging stands and car phone mounts.

Discover how to make the iPhone 16e MagSafe-compatible despite its limitations. Learn about third-party cases and wireless charging options.

Apple has responded to iPhone 16e critics, and says that engineering choices like a lack of MagSafe that make the device unappealing to the tech-savvy don't matter to the larger market.

You may also have seen in Apple's comparison tool that the iPhone 16e lacks “DC-HSDPA,” even though it's available in its pricier siblings. This is a 3G carrier aggregation technology that isn't as common these days, since 3G networks are being deprecated, so it shouldn't be an issue.

Apple says that you can use wireless Qi chargers with the iPhone 16e and it's true, but isn't MagSafe and that causes problems.