My iPhone 16e arrived by courier at around 11:00 on February 28, the day of its release.In this article, I will write about my first day’s impressions of the iPhone 16e, including the opening of the package and the initial setup.

iPhone 16e opened!

The iPhone 16e shipped from Apple arrived in a cardboard outer box.It was in clean condition with no crushing or scratches.

When I opened the outer box, I found the iPhone 16e box closely packed inside.The outer box was hollow.There was no special cushioning material in it, and it was made by folding and gluing the box.

This is the iPhone 16e unboxed.It was about 2 cm high, and thinner than in the past because the AC adapter is not included.

The back of the box.There is more text than in the past.

I remember that it used to be packaged in film.Now it is sealed with a sticker.You can open the box by pulling it while tearing the green arrow parts at the top and bottom two places.

This is right after opening the box.The LCD side was placed face down and the camera was placed face up.The back of the box on the top side was recessed to prevent the convex part of the camera from hitting the back of the box.Be careful when putting it back in the box.

Only the Apple apple logo on the back is glossy, while the rest of the case has a frosted glass-like finish.It is a deep white color rather than pure white.

This is an enlargement of the camera part.I guess those who are concerned about photo quality are not satisfied with a single-lens reflex camera.I am not so concerned about it, so I hope it is an improvement over the previous model.

The USB-C cable seems to be of better quality than before.

This is the LCD side with the unit turned over.A protective sticker was attached and a description of the buttons was written.Personally, I was pleased to see that the manner mode switching is no longer a notch type.By default, you have to press and hold the button above the volume button (called the action button) to toggle the silent mode.

Immediately after removing the protective sticker.It was clean.It is taken from a subtle angle due to many reflections.

This is right after applying the TPU protective film and starting up.I’m really not good at applying protective film, so I got a 2-pack of protective film and will reapply it once I’m done setting up.

Beginning with language selection, proceed with the initial setup.

It took quite some time to update iOS itself and restore from the backup icloud.I deleted the photos from the old iPhone7 plus, but left the apps as they were, so I didn’t expect a lot of app updates to occur after restoring from the backup.

It took a while, but we were able to use it without any problems.

Impressions on the first day

From here, I will list what I have felt since I started using the iPhone 16e after the initial setup.

Fast operation

It is a comparison with an 8 year old model, so it is not surprising, but it works fast.

When you launch the PayPay or V Point app, the barcode appears in 1 to 2 seconds, whereas previously you had to wait about 10 seconds.

Besides that, every single movement is agile.

Good battery life

I have not charged it yet since I received it, although I turned it on around 12:00 and continued to set it up afterwards, with iOS updates and tons of app updates.

When I received the device, it had 80% charge, and after 7 hours of screen light and working on various tasks, it still has 34% charge left.Although I cannot compare it with iPhone7 plus whose rechargeable battery is deteriorating, I felt that the decrease of the rechargeable battery was small for a large amount of communication.

Face ID is easy to use

Personally, I was worried because I was used to Touch ID, but Face ID is stable and usable.With Face ID, I only need to look at the screen to turn on the screen and authenticate apps.

Since the tips of my fingers are cracked and rough this time of year, Touch ID often fails to recognize them.Face ID is more reliable at present.

I wonder how it would be to wake up from sleep or something.We will gradually experience that and find out.

Some settings could not be transferred from iOS 15.8

Due to large iOS version differences, wireless LAN information could not be passed via Bluetooth.There were several other locations.

The iOS version difference was probably larger than Apple expected.

This is not a problem, as it was within the scope of what could be reflected by manual work.

iOS is 18.3.1

At the time the update was completed, iOS was Ver. 18.3.1.

Apple Intelligence will soon be available in 18.4 and will support the Japanese language.

Various standard applications were added, but I prioritized setting them up until they were ready to use them later.

Took a long time to check the app settings

The application itself was installed, but some of the settings remained intact, while others disappeared.It took more time than I had imagined because I had to check each application one by one and sometimes had to reissue passwords and re-enter them into the password management software (KeypassXC) as I went along.

I am relieved that I was able to successfully transfer the SNS and the payment/points area.I was worried because I had failed once in this area and suffered a painful experience.

Erase infrequently used applications

Along with checking application settings, infrequently used applications were erased.

Mainly games and store points apps.I also backed up my photos and then deleted the busted ones.

At the end of the setup, about 50GB used / 128GB.This was a great opportunity to organize my photos and videos.

Summary of first day impressions

It’s been half a day since I received it and most of the apps have been set up, but here are my impressions from the first day of using the iPhone 16e.

• Fast and responsive
• Good battery life
• Face ID is easy to use

I will add to this if I remember.

Musubi

It took a little longer than expected to reconfigure the apps, but I can now continue to use the apps I have been using without any problems.

I think the iPhone 16e lives up to its reputation for fast operation and good battery life, and I look forward to a more interesting experience when Apple Intelligence becomes available.We are looking forward to it.