Standard iPhone 17 sells out in Vietnam for the first time

"I could not find the 256 GB purple iPhone 17 [standard version] at any major store," Nguyen Khanh of Hanoi said.

Tran Thanh in Tan Dinh Ward, HCMC, said she was willing to pay extra for a 512 GB green iPhone 17 standard version but could not find it in stock anywhere.

Major retail chains said the purple, green and white versions of the standard iPhone 17 are mostly out of stock, while the black variant is available only in a 512 GB variant.

They said new stocks are expected in November.

The standard iPhone 17 model is available in blue, green, and purple. Photo by VnExpress/Tuan Hung

"A lot more people are interested in the iPhone 17 than in previous generations’ standard models," CellPhoneS, an authorized Apple reseller, said.

It said its first batch of iPhone 17 units had sold out and new orders are scheduled for delivery at the end of October. "This is the first time a standard iPhone model has drawn such strong demand."

Some smaller stores are offering the purple and green models at VND2-3 million (US$76-114) higher than official prices.

Hoang Tuan, owner of an iPhone shop on Pho Hue Street in Hanoi, said, "The iPhone 17 offers several upgrades over previous standard models, including a larger display with 120 Hz ProMotion technology, while costing VND10 million ($380) less than the Pro version. "This makes it more appealing to customers than earlier standard models."

The iPhone 17 comes with two storage options, 256 GB for VND25 million ($950) and 512 GB for VND31.5 million ($1,200).

It has a 6.3-inch screen, runs on the A19 chip and features a 120 Hz refresh rate, Ceramic Shield 2 for improved scratch resistance, an 18-megapixel front camera with a square sensor, and a 48-megapixel rear camera.