Apple postpones the launch of the iPhone Air in China as it awaits the necessary approval for eSIM.

Apple is scheduled to launch its forthcoming iPhone 17 series on September 19 in numerous countries worldwide. Nevertheless, the release of the eSIM-only iPhone Air is being postponed in China, probably due to regulatory challenges concerning the approval of the embedded SIM.

Apple is scheduled to launch its forthcoming iPhone 17 series on September 19 in most countries worldwide. However, the release of the eSIM-only iPhone Air is being postponed in China, likely due to regulatory challenges concerning the approval of the embedded SIM.

According to Apple’s website, all three state-owned network providers in China—China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom—will provide eSIM support for the iPhone Air, but the release timing will depend on regulatory approval. Pre-orders for the other new models in the series will commence on Friday.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, Apple informed local media that it is collaborating with regulatory bodies to launch the iPhone Air in China "as soon as possible." The report referenced a post by China Mobile on the social media platform Weibo, indicating that the network has activated eSIM services for mobile devices, although a specific launch date was not provided.

China Telecom announced on RedNote its plans to introduce its own eSIM service on September 19, coinciding with the expected release of the iPhone 17 series. However, this post has since been deleted, according to SCMP.

Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment.