In mere days, Apple will unveil its latest smartphone lineup—the iPhone 17 series.

Naturally, as of now, the specifications, design, color options, and other details of these new phones have already been leaked. By now, most people likely have a solid grasp of what to anticipate from the iPhone 17 series.

The most notable transformation is undoubtedly the introduction of the Air model, which takes over from the Plus as the new standard-bearer in the lineup.

This raises the question: compared to the iPhone 16 series, the new models have undergone some modifications, albeit not extensive ones. What about their pricing? According to insider leaks from multiple sources, the iPhone 17 series is anticipated to witness a price hike compared to its predecessor.

Let's begin with the base model—the iPhone 17 standard edition. With minimal upgrades, the projected price remains steady at $799, translating to 5,999 yuan for the Chinese market, with a base storage capacity of 128GB.

Next up is the iPhone 17 Air. Its market positioning mirrors that of the previous generation's Plus. Theoretically, if prices remained unchanged, the 128GB variant would retail at $899, or 6,999 yuan in China.

However, the Air prioritizes a sleek and lightweight design, seemingly elevating its status above the Plus. Moreover, with storage options commencing at 256GB, the anticipated starting price is projected to be $999, or 7,999 yuan for the 256GB version in the Chinese market.

Now, let's delve into the iPhone 17 Pro. This model also initiates with 256GB storage, prompting a slight price increase, a tactic that has become a norm for Apple.

Drawing parallels to last year's 256GB iPhone 16 Pro, the predicted starting price for the Chinese market is around 8,999 yuan, effectively marking a 1,000-yuan increase with an extra 128GB of storage.

As for the iPhone 17 Pro Max (with a base storage of 256GB), the projected starting price aligns with last year's at approximately 9,999 yuan.

It's clear that both the Air and Pro models have upped their starting storage by 128GB, with corresponding price increases of 1,000 yuan. There will be no 128GB variants available, compelling consumers to shell out more for higher-capacity models, which can indeed be construed as a de facto price surge.

This year, the iPhone 16 Pro's price plummeted to as low as 5,499 yuan due to government subsidies, prompting many to opt for the 128GB version and then spend a few hundred yuan to upgrade to a whopping 1TB of storage. This time, however, such a cost-effective upgrade path may no longer be an option with the iPhone 17 Pro.