Apple Inc. has postponed the launch of its new iPhone Air in mainland China, citing delays in regulatory approval, a move that sets the country apart from other major markets where the device is already rolling out.
When pre-orders for the iPhone Air opened Friday, Apple's China website blocked customers from placing orders, displaying the message: "Release information will be updated later. All models will be released after approval." The company had previously said the iPhone Air would be available for pre-order on Sept. 12 and released Sept. 19 in China, aligning with its U.S. and global timeline.
An Apple spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The delay underscores the unique challenges of launching the iPhone Air in China, where the telecom market relies heavily on physical SIM cards rather than the eSIM technology built into the device.
Apple said when it unveiled the iPhone Air that it would initially be supported by only one Chinese carrier, China Unicom. Customers would have to visit a physical store to activate their eSIM before using the device. The company noted that China Mobile Ltd. and China Telecom Corp. would add support for the model later, but no timeline has been given.
The iPhone Air's delayed release comes as Apple's other new devices - the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max - have gone on sale as scheduled in China. Those models include physical SIM card slots to accommodate the country's infrastructure.
In the U.S., early signs point to strong demand for Apple's flagship devices. Home delivery times for certain configurations of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, including the cosmic orange model in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB capacities, have slipped into the Oct. 6-13 window. Silver models with 256GB or 512GB storage are also facing delays.
By contrast, the iPhone Air, standard iPhone 17 and 17 Pro models have not yet shown significant shipping delays in the U.S. within the first hour of pre-orders, suggesting production for those models remains on schedule.
