Overview
- Tim Cook announced on Weibo that mainland China preorders open Friday, October 17 at 9 a.m., with deliveries beginning Wednesday, October 22.
- China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology granted trial eSIM clearance to the three state carriers, enabling Apple to proceed.
- The iPhone Air lacks a physical SIM tray and operates exclusively on eSIM, with a 5.6mm-thick design highlighted at launch.
- Apple lists support from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom for eSIM on iPhone Air, with the entry price set at 7,999 yuan.
- The rollout follows a China-specific delay tied to eSIM rules, setting up a real-world test of carrier provisioning and consumer adoption.