iPhone Air launch delayed in China over eSIM issues

The article discusses the delayed launch of the iPhone Air in mainland China due to regulatory issues around eSIM technology. Apple had originally planned to open preorders for the iPhone Air in China today, alongside the US, with full availability from September 19th. However, the Chinese store page now says that "release information will be updated later." The issue is most likely related to the fact that the iPhone Air is eSIM-only worldwide, while eSIM has not been widely available in mainland China. Previous iPhone models and the new iPhone 17 series also do not support eSIM in China. Earlier this week, Apple's support page stated that China Unicom was the only supported eSIM carrier, but this has now been updated to say that all three state-owned carriers will offer eSIM, pending regulatory approval. The article reports that Apple is "working closely with regulatory authorities to bring [the iPhone Air] to China as soon as possible," indicating that the delay is due to the need for further regulatory approval of the eSIM technology.