Apple delivered its latest budget handset, the $599 iPhone 16e, without pomp. There was no big event in person, nor was there one online. No journalists scrambled through hoards of colleagues to snap photos of the phone.

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.

There’s no question: the new modem makes a difference to the exceptional battery life in the iPhone 16e. After all, Apple says it’s the most power-efficient modem ever in an iPhone. So, the company is right to point out that the new phone has the best battery life of any iPhone with a 6.