Overview
- Preorders opened on Oct. 17 and sold out within minutes, with Apple’s site showing no launch‑day stock for Oct. 22 and earliest deliveries slipping to Oct. 25 in some cities.
- Apple confirmed the China A3518 model supports at most two eSIM profiles and iOS 26 adds a travel flow that can keep two eSIMs online or temporarily disable the domestic line while using local data.
- China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom now support eSIM activation for the device, but users must complete in‑person real‑name ID checks at carrier stores under regulatory rules.
- Operational limits persist, including reports that some eSIM conversions cannot be processed across provinces and may require visiting the number’s home region, though new local eSIMs can be opened.
- Early independent testing indicates overseas‑activated eSIMs continued working after returning to China, countering earlier online claims, while broader interoperability questions remain under review.