Apple plans to launch its new iPhone 17 lineup on September 19 in most regions worldwide. However, the introduction of the eSIM-only iPhone Air is postponed in China, probably because of regulatory concerns regarding embedded SIM approval.
Apple’s official site indicates that the three major Chinese state-owned carriers—China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom—will all support eSIM functionality on the iPhone Air. Still, it notes that the device’s debut date depends on regulatory clearance. Pre-orders for the rest of the new models begin this Friday.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, Apple informed domestic media that it is collaborating with regulatory bodies to introduce the iPhone Air in China “as soon as possible.” The article also cited a China Mobile update on Weibo, announcing that eSIM features are now available for mobile devices, but stopped short of revealing a specific release date.
China Telecom announced on RedNote that its eSIM service would launch on September 19, coinciding with the anticipated iPhone 17 release. However, SCMP observed that this announcement has now been deleted.
Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment.
