From Humble Beginnings to CITY Limits: The Remarkable Evolution of itel Smartphones

In 2016, I reviewed one of itel’s first smartphones, the itel it1516 Plus, a humble and simple yet reliable smartphone that catered to budget-conscious users. Back then, the selling point was simple but effective — a large 5,000mAh battery, a rare feature in its price range, designed to last for days without a charge. With a basic 5.0-inch display, 1GB of RAM, and Android 5.1, the it1516 Plus wasn’t flashy or the prettiest, but it got the job done. It was built with the budget-conscious user in mind.

That device marked the beginning of what would become a bold journey for itel: to consistently evolve with the global smartphone industry while remaining true to its core mission: affordability. Tracing itel’s journey from the itel it1516 Plus (2016) all through the A-series, P-series, and S-series to the futuristic CITY-series reveals a masterclass in democratizing technology.

In the fiercely competitive world of smartphones, where flashy flagships grab headlines, another story quietly unfolds, a story of relentless dedication to making technology accessible. itel Mobile, the ultra-budget arm of Transsion Holdings, hasn’t just survived; it has thrived, evolving its smartphones year after year.

As the smartphone landscape rapidly evolved, so did itel. Each year, the company took note of global trends — from larger screens, increased storage, software upgrades, and smarter cameras to connectivity with current emerging technologies like AI — and found ways to integrate them into its product line without ever overpricing its loyal base.

2016: Planting the Seed – The itel it1516 Plus

• The Starting Point: Launched around the time of the A16 series, the it1516 Plus epitomized the absolute entry-level. Think Android Lollipop/Marshmallow, a tiny 4.0-inch display, a meager 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, and a basic VGA camera. Connectivity was barebones (2G/3G, micro USB).
• The Mission: Pure accessibility. Its triumph was simply being an Android smartphone at an astonishingly low price, opening the digital door for countless first-time users in Africa, South Asia, and beyond. Battery life, a core itel tenet, was decent for its size (~1700mAh).
• The Challenge: Performance was minimal, storage was severely limited, and the experience was strictly basic. But itel had planted its flag.

The Years of Relentless Refinement (2017-2022)

itel didn’t rest. Each year saw targeted improvements, absorbing global trends and tailoring them for affordability:

1. Boosting the Basics (RAM/Storage): 1GB RAM became standard, then 2GB. Storage climbed from 8GB to 16GB and eventually 32GB, often with dedicated microSD slots. Android (Go Edition) became a staple, optimizing performance on modest hardware.
2. The Battery Revolution: itel listened to its core market’s need for endurance. The P-Series emerged as the “Power” champion, routinely packing massive 5000mAh, 6000mAh, even 7000mAh batteries into incredibly affordable devices, setting a new standard for longevity that competitors struggled to match at the price.
3. Screen Real Estate & Quality: Tiny 4-inch screens grew to 5.0″, 5.5″, then 6.0″+ HD and HD+ displays became commonplace. While not AMOLED, brightness and viewing angles improved significantly, making media consumption more viable.
4. Camera Capabilities (Incremental Gains): Single VGA cameras evolved into dual and even triple camera setups (albeit with primary sensors often staying modest at 5MP, 8MP, then 13MP). Front cameras appeared and improved, enabling video calls and selfies. Software processing saw basic enhancements.
5. Design & Build: Phones shed the purely utilitarian look. Sleeker profiles, gradient finishes, and slightly more refined plastic builds made devices feel less like basic tools and more like modern gadgets. Fingerprint sensors and face unlock became standard features.
6. Connectivity: 4G LTE support became widespread, replacing 3G as the baseline. Charging ports slowly transitioned from micro USB to USB-C for greater convenience.

2023-2025: Reaching for the CITY Skyline – The itel CITY 100
The culmination of nearly a decade of tireless innovation arrives with the itel CITY 100 (2025). It embodies how far itel has come while staying true to its core mission:

• Performance Leap: Powered by a capable entry-level/mid-range chipset (e.g., a customized Unisoc T-series or MediaTek Helio G-series equivalent), paired with 4GB/6GB RAM and 128GB storage (expandable), it handles everyday tasks, social media, light gaming, and multi-app usage smoothly – a world away from the it1516 Plus.
• Immersive Display: A vibrant 6.8-inch HD+ Punch-Hole Display with a higher refresh rate (90Hz) offers a significantly more modern and enjoyable viewing experience.
• Capable Imaging: A 50MP AI Triple Camera System (main + depth + macro) captures decent photos in good light, with improved night mode and portrait effects. The 8MP AI Selfie Camera is clear for video calls and social snaps. Computational photography, once a flagship luxury, is now part of the itel vocabulary.
• Endurance Redefined: The legendary battery lives on – a colossal 7000mAh battery powers the CITY 100, now coupled with 18W Fast Charging, drastically reducing downtime.
• Modern Essentials: USB-C, 4G LTE+, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor are standard. Software is a cleaner, more feature-rich version of Android 14.
• Aspirational Design: A sleek, modern design with a premium-feeling textured back, slim bezels, and the punch-hole display positions the CITY 100 as a desirable object, not just a utilitarian device.

See also: REVIEW: The itel CITY 100 shatters entry-level stereotypes

Yet despite all these advancements, itel has managed to keep the CITY 100 affordable, staying loyal to the millions of users who grew with the brand. It’s a testament to itel’s unwavering commitment to democratizing technology, ensuring that every generation can access modern tools for learning, business, and creativity.

The itel Ethos: Tireless innovation, unwavering accessibility

The journey from the it1516 Plus to the CITY 100 isn’t just about specs. It’s a testament to itel’s unrelenting work ethic:

• Listening to the Base: Understanding that battery life is non-negotiable for users with unreliable power.
• Adopting Trends Relentlessly: Integrating larger screens, multi-cameras, fingerprint sensors, fast charging, and higher refresh rates as soon as they become feasible at the budget level.
• Pushing the Affordability Envelope: Continuously finding ways to pack more value into the tightest price brackets, making features like 50MP cameras or 128GB storage accessible to those previously excluded.
• Refining the Experience: Improving build quality, software optimization (Android Go), and overall usability year after year.

itel smartphones are the unsung heroes of the mobile world. While they may never boast the bleeding-edge specs of flagships, their evolution from the basic smartphone to the surprisingly capable CITY 100 showcases a remarkable, decade-long commitment. itel hasn’t just made phones cheaper; it has systematically worked, year after year, to make better technology genuinely affordable. They have built bridges, connecting millions to communication, information, education, and opportunity, proving that relentless focus on the user’s core needs within their budget can drive incredible progress. The CITY 100 isn’t just a phone; it’s a symbol of how far accessible technology has come, powered by itel’s unwavering dedication.