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.
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.
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