‘Most affordable’ iPhone comes to SA

The “most affordable” Apple smartphone in the 2025 range, the iPhone 16e, launched in South Africa last week (28 February 2025). Despite being the least expensive device in the lineup, with a starting pricing of R15,999, the 16e includes all Apple Intelligence features and is likely to lead sales in this country.

“The context is that the iPhone 16e is the most affordable new Apple phone within the range,” Chris Dodd, CEO of iStore, told Gadget during a launch event at the iStore in Sandton.

“What really makes it affordable is the combination of trade-ins. We have customers with existing iPhones or even Android phones that are being traded in. About a quarter of all phones we sell have a trade-in associated with it, which is very high. 

“In the past, people would put their old phones in the cupboard and eventually weren’t worth anything or were passed down to family members. As technology has matured in the household, the family now will have devices.

“So, there is less of a need to have a hand-me-down, and there is absolutely no reason to hang onto old technology. The quicker people trade-in, the higher the value of the trade-in.”

Dodd told Gadget that iStore’s competitive advantage is its ability to offer the highest trade-in values worldwide, based on Apple research. This is largely due to the company’s commitment to the circular economy.

“We sell preowned phones extensively in SA and have three dedicated preowned stores in the country. The fact that we are in control of selling devices, repairing the devices, and cleaning the devices up, means that we can offer customers who are buying new phones, the best price possible.”

As part of the launch, iStore is offering free iCarePlus for the iPhone 16e. This includes a guaranteed buy-back, ensuring that two years from now, iStore will buy back an iPhone for a minimum of 55% of its original value. The iCarePlus package includes an extra year of warranty and screen repair, which can potentially save customers up to R11,249.

New tech and education

iStore is Southern Africa’s only Apple Premium Partner.

Dodd told Gadget that iStores play a significant role in making Apple’s ecosystem more useful for users, particularly through education. He said dedicated training teams educate staff and provide free training sessions for customers at stores nationwide.

These include in-person sessions at locations like Sandton City, where trainers actively engage customers at flexible learning stations. Online training programmes are available, ensuring continuous learning opportunities, especially for new features like Apple Intelligence.

“If you visit a store like the one in Sandton City, a trainer will be on-site to gather customers and bring them to a flex table for a 5-minute taste of what Apple Intelligence is about. You have to give people practical use cases for Apple Intelligence.

“I’ll show someone how to remove a random person from a photograph, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, wow, that’s amazing.’ I think it needs to be demonstrated, explained, and taught a bit – then people really start using it.

“As long as the software is up to date, they have access to Apple Intelligence, but some don’t always know how to use it. I believe it’s our job to educate them – whether through word of mouth, in-store interactions with our staff, or dedicated training.”

* Visit the iStore website here.

* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and writer for Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @Jas2Bann.