iPhone 16e remains in stock for delivery on February 28, 2025

Now some hours after preorders for the iPhone 16e opened, every configuration remains in stock to deliver on February 28.

Back in September 2024, the iPhone 16 Pro Max was selling so well that within 18 minutes certain configurations were sold out. Apple will always make more, but the delivery date had immediately slipped back a week.

That's common with Apple launches, so common that it's practically the norm for the MacBook Pro as well as the iPhone. It even happened with the costly Apple Vision Pro.

It hasn't happened with the iPhone 16e.

There are six possible configurations of the iPhone 16e, with two colors and three different storage options. After 60 and then 90 minutes since preorders opened, every configuration remains available for delivery on February 28, 2025.

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What Apple has never and surely now will never reveal is how many of a device it has made. It is fully possible that the iPhone 16e is a massive success and Apple was just brilliant at estimating how many to stock.

That would produce the result we're seeing, the ability to get any model without delay. And especially under Tim Cook, Apple has long been totally on top of its whole supply and production chain.

Yet despite the kind of iron grip on its manufacturing that other firms would hope for, Apple still routinely hits this issue of delivery dates having to slip back weeks or even months.

It could just be good marketing. Apple itself has never exactly crowed about selling out of its iPhones, but a reason for the usual preorder rush is because buyers know to get in early.

Except this time.

So maybe Apple judged its manufacturing better than ever. And maybe it decided against using scarcity as a marketing tool.

Or maybe the iPhone 16e is not selling as well as expected. Just as appears to have happened with the 2024 OLED iPad Pro.

22 Comments

mike1 11 Years · 3462 comments

About 1 month ago

Oh, please!

Why would anyone expect this model to sell out or be in short supply on opening day?!

It was released outside of the usual September hype and its media coverage.

It is not targeted to power users or enthusiasts who will want to upgrade and order on day 1.

I would bet the vast majority of customers for this model don't yet know about it or will never know about it until they need/want to buy a new phone for whatever reason. The typical SE customer is not eagerly awaiting the release date of a new phone.

7 Likes · 4 Dislikes

charlesn 12 Years · 1374 comments

About 1 month ago

mike1 said:

Oh, please!
Why would anyone expect this model to sell out or be in short supply on opening day?!

It was released outside of the usual September hype and its media coverage.
It is not targeted to power users or enthusiasts who will want to upgrade and order on day 1.
I would bet the vast majority of customers for this model don't yet know about it or will never know about it until they need/want to buy a new phone for whatever reason. The typical SE customer is not eagerly awaiting the release date of a new phone.

100%. I'm embarrassed for Gallagher that he would even publish this kind of drivel for which he must know the obvious answers. Yeah, this was a big deal in the Apple-obsessed corner of the techosphere echo chamber. But out there in the real world? Not so much. Awareness that the 16e even exists is minimal right now, yet Gallagher wonders aloud why no shipping delays yet as if something must be amiss. Of course, Apple marketing will make sure the 16e becomes a very well-known new model, but that marketing push hasn't really started yet. This kind of stupidity drives me nuts.

5 Likes · 4 Dislikes

Michail 6 Years · 10 comments

About 1 month ago

The Pro Max types set their alarm clock @4:00 a.m. on Day One; the SE types realize they need a new phone the day after their iPhone dies. Plain and simple.

7 Likes · 1 Dislike

michelb76 9 Years · 729 comments

About 1 month ago

If anything this model will make people look at Android phones at the same price point. Not great.

5 Likes · 4 Dislikes

yyzguy 1 Year · 50 comments

About 1 month ago

mike1 said:

Oh, please!
Why would anyone expect this model to sell out or be in short supply on opening day?!

It was released outside of the usual September hype and its media coverage.
It is not targeted to power users or enthusiasts who will want to upgrade and order on day 1.
I would bet the vast majority of customers for this model don't yet know about it or will never know about it until they need/want to buy a new phone for whatever reason. The typical SE customer is not eagerly awaiting the release date of a new phone.

I was “eagerly waiting” for a new SE to replace a pair of 2nd generation SEs (2020). I was ready to make a day one purchase. Sadly, the 16e isn’t it. So I bought a pair of refurbished iPhone 13 minis on Amazon instead for less than the rumored price of a 4th generation SE. Too bad for Apple. Good for me. I hope their internal data shows millions of others doing the same. FYI, it was quite interesting to see the availability of refurbished iPhone 13 mini fluctuate throughout yesterday at Amazon. There would be just 2 in stock for a few minutes then suddenly more available. I’m guessing refurbished late model iPhones are going to be in demand for awhile. Not everyone wants Apple Intelligence or a hobbled $599 phone. Mine were $279/each with 256GB storage. So there!