Key points
- Apple has delayed the launch of the iPhone Air in mainland China due to pending regulatory approvals.
- The delay affects pre-orders and the initial release date in China.
- The iPhone Air’s reliance on eSIM technology, unlike the prevalence of physical SIM cards in China, is a contributing factor.
- The delay contrasts with the on-time launch of other iPhone 17 models in China.
Apple has postponed the launch of its new iPhone Air in mainland China, citing unresolved regulatory approval issues. The delay impacts both pre-orders and the originally planned September 19th general availability date.
While pre-orders opened on Friday in other major markets, including the US, Chinese customers found they were unable to place orders for the iPhone Air on Apple’s China website. A message on the website indicated the release would be delayed pending approval, with no revised launch date specified.
The delay is attributed, at least in part, to the iPhone Air’s reliance on eSIM technology. China’s mobile infrastructure primarily utilizes physical SIM cards, presenting a significant hurdle for the slimmer device, which, due to its design, does not accommodate a physical SIM slot.
Initially, Apple had planned to launch the iPhone Air in China via a partnership with China Unicom, requiring users to activate their eSIM at a physical store. The company’s website has since indicated that support will eventually expand to China Mobile and China Telecom.
The postponement of the iPhone Air launch stands in contrast to the successful and on-time launch of the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in China. These models include physical SIM card support, avoiding the regulatory complexities associated with eSIM adoption. An Apple spokesperson has yet to comment publicly on the delay.
Meanwhile, in the US, some iPhone 17 Pro Max models are experiencing shipping delays, with delivery windows pushed back to October 6th-13th. This suggests exceptionally high demand for the device, particularly for certain models and storage configurations, such as the cosmic orange 17 Pro Max in higher storage capacities and the silver 256GB and 512GB models.
The other new iPhone models—the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and standard iPhone 17—did not experience similar delays in the US.
