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The Regular iPhone 17 is Reportedly Proving Popular — Here's Why

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The entry-level iPhone 17 model looks very similar to the equivalent iPhone 16 model, but it is reportedly proving popular in at least one country so far.

iphone-17-ceramic-shield.jpg

On the popular Chinese shopping website JD.com, the standard iPhone 17 with 256GB of storage received the most pre-orders of any of the new iPhone models after pre-orders began on Friday, according to the South China Morning Post.

There is one caveat: Apple delayed pre-orders for the all-new, ultra-thin iPhone Air in China due to eSIM regulatory approval issues in the country. However, on Apple's online store in the U.S., most iPhone Air configurations are still available for September 19 launch day delivery, so it is quite possible that the entry-level iPhone 17 would have proved popular in China even if the iPhone Air had also been available to pre-order.

Why is the regular iPhone 17 proving popular, despite being the "boring" choice? It almost certainly comes down to the device's perceived value, as the device starts at the same $799/5,999 yuan price as the regular iPhone 16 did when it launched, despite featuring a larger 6.3-inch display with thinner bezels, ProMotion support for up to a 120Hz refresh rate, a doubled 256GB of base storage, and many other upgrades. The display improvements in particular finally bring the base iPhone more in line with the Pro models.

So while the iPhone 17 does not have a flashy new design, nor is it the thinnest iPhone ever, it appears to be an unassuming hit so far.

Article Link: The Regular iPhone 17 is Reportedly Proving Popular — Here's Why
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/09/13/regular-iphone-17-proving-popular/
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It’s a no-brainer:

It has all the “handed down” pro features the 16 didn’t, which is what users complained about last year.

The 17 has

120 Hz Promotion ( this was the biggest complaint about the 16)

Better front camera

Better battery life

Double the base storage

No price increase.

It’ll be popular because does what an iPhone should do for over 90% of iPhone users.

It’s a very solid option. The other 17 options are for power-uses, tech enthusiasts and fashionistas.

For everyone else, the normal 17 is the best value for what you get. it’s basically the iPhone equivalent of the M4 Mac Book Air - a perfect all-rounder at a reasonable price.
 
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The iPhone Pro is a tough sell being $300 more than the base model this year. I am sure a lot of folks with scoop it up, but the base model offers so much more this year over previous ones. I feel like it used to be that the pros has a starting storage base that was double the standard model, so it felt like it wasn't as steep of a jump in price.

This year Apple chose to keep the iPhone 17 base model the same cost as the 16 and double the storage. However they raised the starting price of the Pro by $100, and claimed they kept the price the same as last year because they doubled the base storage. But since they didn't do this with the base model, they weren't consistent and the divide between the two got larger imo.
 
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To Apple, I bet the most interesting part is the first sentence of the source article:

Pre-order sales of Apple’s new iPhone 17 series have got off to a robust start in China, shattering previous records despite delays in the shipment of the iPhone Air.
Click to expand...

It broke the sales records of previous iPhone series even with one model not yet being available. The numbers will only increase when the Air becomes available.
 
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For the regular 17: 120Hz, always on, much longer battery, 40W charging, dual frequency GPS, no longer missing out important features from the Pro. This is a mega upgrade. On chinese social media people are literally saying Tim Cook is making iPhone great again.

Edit: Most people like the iPhone Air and can certainly afford it, but the compromised battery and single speaker somehow break the deal. The 17 Pro would also sell well, as it caught up with the competition with a VC chamber(finally).

Edit Edit: To fully understand the extent to how wild this is: The JD quote on a ad banner said “The preorders of the first minute exeeds the preorders of 24hours last year”.
 

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Here’s my theory:
Apple struggle to find enough innovations for the Pro as it plateaued. Price keep increasing (while the storage price has decreased over time, storage needs keep getting higher).
The regular iPhone gets last years innovations of the Pro so it’s catching up.
Soon there will no longer be a distinction

Also I’d say Apple made a massive mistake by making the 256>512GB upgrade so expensive. The upsell is unjustified
 
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funnily enough i'd probably have got a 17 Plus this year if they hadn't replaced it with the Air

the 17, on paper, is a great device but the one thing that stops me buying it is the size. If they offered a 6.9" version of the standard phone then it'd be a no brainer.

the air sacrifices screen size and battery (compared to a potential 17 Plus) and the camera bump sticks out like a sore swollen thumb. NO THANKS! i don't want to be seen using such a silly looking phone.

17 Pro Max it is for me.

If I didn't want the largest phone then I'd have got the base 17 model. In no situation would I be buying the Air.
 
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Hans_J said:
Sticking with my 15 pro - I want a smaller phone, not these giant phones. I would buy a Mini or a folding phone.
Click to expand...
too bad Apple scrapped the Mini because nobody wanted it and the folding iPhone is another year away and likely going to be $1,000 more expensive lmao.

and by the way the Folding iphone is not gonna be a "smaller phone". Folded it's going to be about just as thick as a Pro Max (maybe even thicker) and when it's unfolded it'll be closer to an iPad.
 
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Alex Cai said:
For the regular 17: 120Hz, always on, much longer battery, 40W charging, dual frequency GPS, no longer missing out important features from the Pro. This is a mega upgrade. On chinese social media people are literally saying Tim Cook is making iPhone great again.

Edit: Most people like the iPhone Air and can certainly afford it, but the compromised battery and single speaker somehow break the deal. The 17 Pro would also sell well, as it caught up with the competition with a VC chamber(finally).
Click to expand...
I think the Air will sell better than the now discontinued iPhone minis, but I predict the iPhone 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and 17 will all outsell the Air.

For my kid I bought a 16e several months ago. I had considered the 16 and 16 Plus, but the pricing was far enough from the 16e that I stuck with the 16e. Now, if I were buying, I'd get the 17 for my kid. The 17 is a great device, and the 16e's price is the same as it was before the 17 release, meaning the 16e and 17 are priced too close together now IMO. The Air is a non-starter given its feature set and even higher price point. It unfortunate that the Air actually costs more than the 16 Plus. Yeah I understand it got more storage, but there are several other downgrades.
 
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EugW said:
I think the Air will sell better than the now discontinued iPhone minis, but I predict the 17 iPhone Pro, 17 Pro Max, and 17 will all outsell the Air.

For my kid I bought a 16e several months ago. I had considered the 16 and 16 Plus, but the pricing was far enough from the 16e that I stuck with the 16e. Now, if I were buying, I'd get the 17 for my kid. The 17 is a great device, and the 16e's price is the same, meaning the 16e and 17 are priced too close together now IMO. And the Air is a non-starter given its feature set and even higher price point. It unfortunate that the Air actually costs more than the 16 Plus. Yeah I understand it got more storage, but there are several other downgrades.
Click to expand...

bold prediction. we already know the Pro is in more demand than the Air.

and with the base model getting "premium" features like 120Hz then there is less reason for people to spend more now.

All the Air does is restructure the iPhone line up and help Apple justify a future "ultra" iPhone which will be the folding iPhone.
 
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EugW said:
IMO, the Air is inferior. It is smaller than Plus sized, but missing a camera. Also, it's eSIM only which can be an annoyance in some countries.

The Air specs really reminds me of the 16e, just thinner with a bigger screen. However, the 16e is value priced, and the Air isn't.
Click to expand...
like i said...not everyone can afford the air....it has double meaning
iPhone Air will outsell the 17 Pro
 
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