Technologies

iPhone 16E Specs vs. Google Pixel 8A: How Apple and Google’s Lower-Cost Phones Match Up

If you’re comfortable with a used Pixel 8A, you might get a lot of phone for the money compared to buying Apple’s lowest-cost iPhone.

Google’s A-series Pixel handsets are typically budget-friendly, but currently the cheapest Google goes is $499 for the Pixel 9A. If you do want all of Google’s flagship features and are comfortable with getting a used or refurbished device, you could check out last year’s Pixel 8A which is going for under $300 in the secondary market. Strangely, Google is currently selling the Pixel 8A for the same price as the Pixel 9A, so it doesn’t make sense to buy a new version of the Pixel 8A.

A sub-$300 Pixel 8A is an especially good deal when compared to the entry-level $599 iPhone 16E. Sure, the iPhone 16E offers a lot of features for its price and is certainly the most affordable iPhone you can get at retail. Yet, that price isn’t exactly affordable when compared to the Pixel 8A. If you prefer to buy new, we’ll point you to the comparison of the Pixel 9A vs the iPhone 16E. But if you’re open to getting a used Pixel 8A for an even lower price, we’ve compared the iPhone 16E and the Pixel 8A below.

Design and display

The most obvious difference between the two phones is that the iPhone 16E has a notch at the top of the screen (The iPhone 16, on the other hand, has a Dynamic Island instead), while the Pixel 8A just has a single dot for the front-facing camera. Size-wise, however, they’re both pretty comparable. They both roughly measure around 6 by 3 by 0.3 inches (you can find more exact measurements in the chart below), plus both have a 6.1-inch OLED screen.

The iPhone 16E, however, has a fixed refresh rate of 60Hz, while the Pixel 8A can switch between 60 and 120Hz for smoother scrolling and a more immersive gaming experience. That said, the iPhone 16E’s A18 processor does run more intensive games like Death Stranding and Resident Evil 4 Remake. While those more console-level games are not yet available on the Google Play Store, the Pixel 8A’s Tensor G3 should still be able to run most Android games at medium to low graphics settings.

Cameras

One of the biggest limitations of the iPhone 16E is that it just has a single rear 48-megapixel camera. The Pixel 8A, on the other hand, has two rear cameras placed within a camera bar on the back: a 64-megapixel lens plus a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens. Even when it comes to the front-facing selfie camera, the Pixel 8A’s version is better. It has a 12-megapixel front-facing lens while the iPhone 16E has a 7-megapixel one.

AI features

The iPhone 16E might be an entry-level handset, but it does support Apple Intelligence, a feature that was previously only in higher-end models like the 15 Pro and the iPhone 16. Apple Intelligence isn’t fully fleshed out yet, but it currently offers some benefits including a Clean Up tool for removing obstacles in photos, text summarization plus writing tools that help correct editing errors. An improved Siri is also apparently on its way, but it has been delayed.

The Pixel 8A, on the other hand, has all the features of Google’s Gemini that are also on the higher-end Pixel handsets. It can run Google’s Gemini Nano AI model, use photo-editing tools such as Best Take and Magic Eraser, and more. Gemini will eventually be the default assistant on all Android phones, and for now you can switch between the Google Assistant and Gemini.

Software support

Both the Pixel 8A and the iPhone 16E have relatively lengthy software support. The Pixel 8A gets a total of seven years of major Android OS upgrades and security updates from its launch last year, which means you’ll get six years if you buy one now that it’s a year old. That’s in line with the six years of support Samsung provides its new Galaxy A phones in the $200 to $300 range, and is double the support Motorola provides to its Moto G line.

While Apple doesn’t publish software and security support timelines, the iPhone 16E will likely get between five and seven years of software updates based on what has been provided to prior iPhone models. Security updates could be even longer, as even the original iPhone SE from 2016 received a security update earlier this year.

Check out more differences between the iPhone 16E and the Google Pixel 8A in the chart below.

Apple iPhone 16E vs. Google Pixel 8A

	Apple iPhone 16E	Google Pixel 8A
Display size, resolution	6.1-inch OLED display; 2,532×1,170 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate	6.1-inch OLED; 2,400×1,080 pixels, 60-120Hz adaptive refresh rate
Pixel density	460 ppi	430 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	5.78×2.82×0.31 in.	6×2.9×0.4 in.
Dimensions (millimeters)	146.7×71.5×7.8 mm	152x74x10.2 mm
Weight (ounces, grams)	167g (5.88 oz.)	193 g (6.8 oz.)
Mobile software	iOS 18	Android 14
Camera	48-megapixel (wide)	64-megapixel (main), 13-megapixel (ultrawide)
Front-facing camera	12-megapixel	13-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K at 30/60 FPS
Processor	Apple A18	Google Tensor G3
RAM/Storage	RAM unknown + 128GB, 256GB, 512GB	8GB + 128GB or 256GB
Expandable storage	None	None
Battery/Charger	Up to 26 hours video playback, 21 hours streamed video playback, 90 hours of audio playback. 20W wired charging, 7.5W Qi wireless charging	4,492 mAh (18W fast charging, 7.5W wireless charging)
Fingerprint sensor	None, Face ID	Under-display
Connector	USB-C	USB-C
Headphone jack	None	None
Special features	Action button, Apple C1 5G modem, Apple Intelligence, Ceramic Shield, Emergency SOS, satellite connectivity, IP68 resistance	5G (5G sub6 / mmWave), IP67 rating, VPN by Google One, Circle to Search, 7 years Android OS updates, 7 years security updates, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser
Price off-contract (USD)	$599 (128GB)	$499
Price (GBP)	£599 (128GB)	£499
Price (AUD)	AU$999 (128GB)	AU$849

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, June 28

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 28.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s Saturday, so it’s extra-long, and might take you a while. Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Detachable parts of a dress form
Answer: ARMS

5A clue: Catering container containing caffeine
Answer: TEARUN

8A clue: Climbing structure offered in pet stores
Answer: CATTREE

9A clue: Gets into town
Answer: ARRIVES

10A clue: Frédéric Chopin or Ray Charles, notably
Answer: PIANIST

11A clue: They don’t hold water
Answer: SIEVES

12A clue: ___-jerk reaction
Answer: KNEE

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: With some chance of failure
Answer: ATARISK

2D clue: Prepare for a new job, maybe
Answer: RETRAIN

3D clue: Midday Broadway showing
Answer: MATINEE

4D clue: Goal of a noted reality show set on an island
Answer: SURVIVE

6D clue: Witherspoon who portrayed June Carter in «Walk the Line»
Answer: REESE

7D clue: Lodgings for larks
Answer: NESTS

8D clue: Souvenir from a baseball game
Answer: CAP

Technologies

Facing Billions in DMA Fines, Apple Lets EU iPhone Users Install Apps Outside the App Store

A last-minute rule change lets European iPhone owners download apps from rival stores and developer websites, while introducing new fees that Apple hopes will satisfy regulators in Brussels.

In a scramble to sidestep penalties that could soar into the billions, and with Brussels regulators watching closely, Apple has agreed to let Europeans download iPhone apps from outside its own App Store.

With just hours left before an EU compliance deadline, the company said residents of the 27-nation bloc will soon be able to grab apps from rival marketplaces or straight off a developer’s website. The change rolls out later this year with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, and also lets users set a different browser engine and choose a third-party wallet at checkout.

For everyday EU iPhone owners, that means the download button could pop up in more places than just Apple’s storefront. After you select the new setting, iOS shows a one-time permission sheet confirming you’re leaving Apple’s marketplace. The app then passes a quick notarization scan meant to weed out malware. Apple notes that off-store downloads work only inside the EU, and disappear if you stay outside the bloc for more than 30 days.

Cost to developers

Developers do gain fresh distribution freedom, but there’s a price tag. A new two-tier Store Services fee asks for 5% of outside sales in exchange for basic services like app reviews and support in what’s called Tier 1, or 13% for the full bundle of perks, including automatic updates and App Store promotions in Tier 2.

Apple will take a 5% «Core Technology Commission» on any purchase made outside its own payment system. That new cut will phase out the current €0.50-per-download fee and become the sole charge across the EU when a unified pricing model arrives on Jan. 1, 2026.

Apple insists «more than 99%» of devs will pay the same or less under the revamped math.

Why now?

In April, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million ($585 million) for blocking developers from steering users to cheaper payment options, and warned that daily penalties of up to 5% of global revenue could follow if it failed to comply.

Throughout the back-and-forth, Apple has accused the commission of «moving the goalposts» on what counts as compliance, with a spokesperson saying the company has invested «hundreds of thousands of hours» to meet the EU’s evolving demands.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney blasted the 5% tier as a «malicious compliance scheme» that «makes a mockery of fair competition.»

If regulators decide Apple still hasn’t gone far enough, the iPhone maker could face steeper sanctions, or even be forced to separate its App Store business.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 27, #1469

Here are hints — and the answer — for today’s Wordle No. 1,469 for June 27. Some players need a new starter word now.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t too tough, but somehow, it has a starting letter I never seem to guess. Some posters on Reddit say it was one of their starter words, so now they’re in the market for a new way to begin the game. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with P.

Wordle hint No. 4: Placement

The two vowels are next to each other.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to something that is not decorated and is simple.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is PLAIN.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, June 26, No. 1468 was OFFER.

Recent Wordle answers

June 22, No. 1464: THRUM

June 23, No. 1465: ODDLY

June 24, No. 1466: ELITE

June 25, No. 1467: COMFY

Will Wordle run out of words?

When Wordle began, creator Josh Wardle used a list of five-letter words he’d shared with his partner, picking only the words they recognized. While that’s more than 2,000 words, more than half of them have already been used.

Wordle editor Tracy Bennett admitted that the game will eventually have to come to grips with the fact that the word list is not eternal.

«One possibility is that we could recycle old words at some point, like when we get close to the end,» Bennett told a Wordle player on TikTok.

She also said the editors might throw all the words back in and reuse them, or allow plurals, or past tense, something that’s not done now.