The iPhone Air faced initial challenges entering the Chinese market due to its ultra-thin design, which necessitates an eSIM-only configuration—a technology regulated strictly in China.
However, the iPhone Air has now officially launched for pre-orders in China, and early signs indicate it has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm.
According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the iPhone Air “sold out within minutes of its launch” across major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. The report highlights that physical store stocks in these cities were depleted mere minutes after pre-orders began on Friday morning.
Online orders are equally brisk, with shipping estimates for many iPhone Air configurations pushed to November, underscoring high consumer demand. Historically, iPhone sales in China surge significantly when Apple releases a model with a striking new design, and the iPhone Air fits that mold perfectly.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been visiting China over the past week, engaging with Apple customers, developers, and employees. During his trip, he received a custom-made Labubu doll as a gift. Cook also met with Chinese government officials, where he reaffirmed Apple’s commitment to continued investment in the country. This reassurance comes amid Apple’s ongoing efforts to diversify its manufacturing outside China due to U.S. tariffs imposed during the Trump administration.
In addition to the product launch, Apple unveiled an environmental initiative in collaboration with China’s Tsinghua University this week, further cementing its long-term presence in the region.
Separately, a report from The Elec notes that Japanese firm Mizuho Securities has revised its iPhone Air production forecast, cutting it by 1 million units before year-end. This development, however, has not been verified by other sources. The same report indicates Apple has increased production orders for other models, with an additional two million units of the base iPhone 17, one million of the iPhone 17 Pro, and four million of the iPhone 17 Pro Max planned.