Apple Expected to Defer iPhone Air Launch in China

(MENAFN) US tech giant Apple is expected to delay the launch of its iPhone Air in China as it works to address regulatory concerns related to embedded SIM (eSIM) technology, according to a media report on Friday.

The company updated its iPhone Air ordering instructions on Friday morning, replacing the original launch date with a note saying, "release information to be updated later." Initially, Apple had planned for shipments to begin on September 19, with pre-orders opening on Friday.

The iPhone Air, which is 5.6 millimeters thick—making it Apple's slimmest model to date—requires an eSIM. Despite this setback, pre-orders for other newly unveiled models, including the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Max, and iPhone 17, will still open on Friday night, with deliveries set to start as scheduled on September 19.

In response to the delay, Apple representatives confirmed to Chinese media that the company is "working closely with regulatory authorities to bring it to China as soon as possible."

Apple has stated that three major Chinese telecom providers—China Unicom, China Mobile, and China Telecom—will support the eSIM technology, with specific timing dependent on regulatory approval. Initially, China Unicom had been the sole provider for this service.

The three telecom giants, in turn, shared on social media that they are awaiting approval from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to launch eSIM services.

A recent survey from market research firm IDC highlighted strong global demand for slimmer smartphones. For example, the Samsung S25 Edge, which was launched in May with a thickness of 5.8 mm, sold over one million units within its first month, ranking as the sixth-best-selling smartphone globally in the high-end $1,000–$1,600 price range.

IDC estimates that the iPhone Air could represent "well over" 5%-7% of Apple's worldwide shipments for its Plus models.

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