Apple has confirmed that its new iPhone Air will be available for pre-order in China this Friday, October 17, following regulatory approval for eSIM services by the country’s telecom operators.
The device, which starts at 7,999 yuan (about $1,121), will officially launch on October 22.
The iPhone Air will be Apple’s first eSIM-only smartphone in China, a big win for the company and the local telecom sector.
Unlike other models, the 5.6mm-thick iPhone Air does not include a physical SIM slot, relying entirely on digital eSIM technology for connectivity.
This launch comes after weeks of delay as Apple worked with Chinese regulators to clear issues around eSIM deployment. Until now, China has been careful about adopting eSIMs due to data security and sovereignty concerns.
The approval is a change in policy and could bring about broader eSIM adoption across the country’s telecom industry.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has now authorised China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom to begin trial eSIM services.
This means customers on any of the three networks will be able to activate their iPhone Air without a physical SIM card, a first for Apple’s devices in the market.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who is currently in Shanghai, announced the update on Weibo, writing, “Excited to announce iPhone Air will be available next week and pre-orders start this Friday, October 17!” His visit shows the importance of China, where Apple faces high competition from domestic brands like Huawei and Xiaomi.
In aligning it with the fourth-quarter sales period, Apple aims to capture year-end demand and reaffirm its focus on Chinese consumers. Experts say the move could also boost eSIM readiness among local manufacturers, benefiting a wider ecosystem of smartphones, smartwatches, and IoT devices.
With the iPhone Air, Apple is testing how fast China’s telecom sector can adapt to global standards, and whether the company can maintain its top place in the market with high local innovation.
