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6h ago

Tim Cook's Shanghai Stop Spotlights Pop Mart as iPhone Air Wins China Approval

The eSIM‑only device is Apple's first of its kind in China, with preorders October 17, sales beginning October 22.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook gets custom Labubu doll in China.
Apple CEO Tim Cook visited a Labubu exhibition while in China to promote the iPhone Air.
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Overview

  • Cook visited Pop Mart’s The Monsters exhibition in Shanghai, met CEO Wang Ning and creator Kasing Lung, and received a one‑of‑a‑kind Labubu modeled after him.
  • Lung demonstrated sketching his characters on an iPad Pro with Apple Pencil, which Cook highlighted in posts on Weibo.
  • China approved the ultra‑thin, 5.6 mm iPhone Air for sale as an eSIM‑only model, clearing the way for preorders on October 17 and retail availability on October 22.
  • Cook’s trip also included stops at Apple Pudong, a visit with Lilith Games’ AFK Journey team, and a music video set where an iPhone 17 Pro was used to film a single‑shot sequence.
  • Pop Mart shares rose intraday after Cook’s appearance, and analysts floated potential Apple–Pop Mart tie‑ups, though no collaboration has been announced.