Apple delays release of iPhone Air in China due to pending approval of eSIM

In Brief

Apple is acceptable to merchandise its upcoming iPhone 17 bid connected September 19 successful astir countries crossed the world. However, the eSIM-only iPhone Air’s merchandise is being delayed successful China, apt owed to regulatory issues astir the support of the embedded SIM.

Apple’s website notes that each 3 Chinese state-owned web providers, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, volition connection eSIM enactment for the iPhone Air, but says the timing of the merchandise volition beryllium taxable to regulatory approval. Pre-orders for the different caller phones successful the line-up commencement connected Friday.

According to South China Morning Post, Apple told section media that it was moving with regulatory authorities to bring the iPhone Air to China “as soon arsenic possible.” The study referred to a station by China Mobile connected societal web Weibo, that said the web has enabled eSIM services for mobile phones, though a motorboat day was not mentioned.

China Telecom posted connected RedNote astir launching its ain eSIM work connected September 19, erstwhile the iPhone 17 enactment is expected to beryllium released. However, the station has since been removed, SCMP noted.

Apple did not instantly instrumentality a petition for comment.

Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news