Overview

• Apple removed the physical SIM tray from the iPhone Air, making eSIM the only way to activate cellular service.
• Only China Unicom currently supports the iPhone Air in mainland China, pointing to a limited or staggered rollout as other carriers evaluate eSIM.
• Customers must visit a China Unicom retail store for face-to-face ID verification before staff activate the eSIM on the device.
• China carrier eSIM profiles work only on iPhone Air model A3518, and units purchased outside the mainland cannot add a China carrier eSIM while located in China.
• Industry reporting says regulators are still aligning eSIM standards and no domestic Chinese phone model uses eSIM yet, a dynamic that could shape near-term adoption.