Apple postpones the release of the iPhone Air in China as Beijing keeps a tight grip on eSIM approval, reports The South China Morning Post.
The tech giant says all three state-owned telecoms network operators would provide eSIM support “subject to regulatory approval.” The iPhone Air requires an eSIM due to its small size (only 5.6mm thick).
As of Friday morning, Apple had revised iPhone Air ordering details for the mainland, replacing the original launch schedule with “release information to be updated later”. Previously, the company stated that pre-orders would start at 8 p.m. Friday local time, while deliveries would begin on September 19.
The South China Morning Post aligns with recent reports. Tech influencer Fixed Focus Digital, which has 2.3 million followers on Chinese social media Weibo, said on September 2 that the roll-out of eSIM in mainland China would be “unlikely” this month, as mass production of the iPhone Air started months later than the other three models expected to be launched – the basic iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro and the top-of-the-line iPhone 17 Pro Max.
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