Opinion: Apple finally shops an iPhone basic model that's not subpar

Gong Zhe is a senior sci-tech editor at CGTN Digital. His opinions are his own and in no way represent the opinion of CGTN.

It's hard to find a reason other than greed for Apple's years-long delay in equipping the iPhone's basic model with a 120Hz screen that will give users a much more fluent interface.

Now that the U.S. tech giant has fixed most critical bugs in its M-series laptops, Apple has finally turned its attention to streamlining its chaotic iPhone lineup.

In addition to the long-awaited 120Hz screen that has become standard on many cheaper phones, the iPhone 17 basic model features dual-band satellite positioning, which will cause less drifting on maps, along with 40-watt charging that is slowly catching up to other brands.

Nevertheless, these features have made the basic iPhone model a proper phone, rather than the previous subpar phones that many $299 competitors can easily beat in the marketplace.

What's more, Apple has finally discontinued the 128-gigabyte model, which is practically unusable in China, as many super apps here are gigabytes or even tens of gigabytes in size, leaving almost no room for songs, photos, and videos.

All in all, the iPhone 17 basic model represents a significant upgrade from the iPhone 16. Compared to other brands' products in a similar $700 to $800 price range, the only thing that seems lacking is the camera system, which may not be a priority for everyone. The iPhone 17's camera is far from the best, but it is still solid for most scenarios.

However, a stronger-than-ever basic model may drag down the sales of the two pro models, as they offer significantly fewer additional features while their prices have risen.

The iPhone Air, despite its thinness, removed too many features from a regular iPhone, making it the choice for people with very specific needs. After all, iPhone users have been living with thick phones for many years, and it's been fine.

The Air model doesn't have stereo loudspeakers, so when users watch videos, they need additional devices to ensure the sound doesn't come from just one side. Some may say they never use the loudspeaker, but others will find it hard to accept.

Apple also packed a small battery in the iPhone Air. Whether it can last an entire day, as advertised, largely depends on how you use it.

My verdict is that the iPhone 17 series will sell significantly better than the 16, but Apple's profits might decrease as more people opt for the basic model.