iPhone Air to Launch in China This Week

The iPhone Air will be available for pre-order in China this Friday, Apple CEO Tim Cook today said on Weibo during a visit to the country.

iphone 17 air
Apple initially postponed the release of the ‌iPhone Air‌ in China while it worked with mainland authorities to resolve regulatory issues related to the device's eSIM requirement. The iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max already went on sale with the global launch as normal.

At 5.6mm thick, the ‌iPhone Air‌ does not have a physical SIM slot, and is limited to eSIM-only operation. That's a problem in China, since carriers have not traditionally supported eSIM for the iPhone even though it's widely used around the world. Apple has said that all three state-owned telecommunications network operators – China Unicom, China Mobile and China Telecom – will "provide eSIM support [with] specific timing subject to regulatory approval."

The ‌iPhone Air‌ starts from 7,999 yuan in China. Pre-orders will open on Friday, October 17, with launch on Wednesday, October 22.

Related Roundup: iPhone Air
Buyer's Guide: iPhone Air (Buy Now)

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Top Rated Comments

SouthPalito Avatar
9 weeks ago

I don't think this will sell well in China. To be honest, with the price of the Air for the specs you get, it shouldn't sell well anywhere.
The target customer is not buying for the specs. They're buying because of the light weight and design/looks
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
9 weeks ago
Once again Tim Cook navigates to perfection. He is a phenomenal CEO. Apple is a great company and I am proud to be a shareholder. Ok don’t hate on me too much lol. Have a great day everyone!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LoCarbHotrod Avatar
9 weeks ago

The target customer is not buying for the specs. They're buying because of the light weight and design/looks
I'm not sure why people don't get this.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SidricTheViking Avatar
9 weeks ago
Nice that the only non-17-branded model is launching on the 17th.
Absolutely nothing of significance to see here, folks, please move along to something more important.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SouthPalito Avatar
9 weeks ago

Battery life is a paramount feature in China. The Air is going up against devices like $159 Huawei phones with 6,600 mAh SiC batteries. I wouldn’t expect any breakthrough in sales.
People purchasing extremely expensive phones in China are not the same ones who would consider opting for a $159 Huawei phone.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LoCarbHotrod Avatar
9 weeks ago

Exactly. They can't be buying it for the specs, because the specs are trash for the price. That's my point.
Why does it upset you that options exist? Not everyone wants a full size SUV.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)