The newly unveiled iPhone Air, which requires the use of eSIM virtual phone cards, has stopped selling in China due to not passing the official regulatory approval by the Chinese Communist Party. Apple has stated that they are working closely with regulatory authorities to launch the product in China as soon as possible.
After Apple announced the new iPhone 17 series on September 8, China was set to start pre-orders on the 12th at 8 p.m. with sales beginning on September 19. The Chinese e-commerce platforms have opened pre-orders for the new phones, including the ultra-thin and light iPhone Air that promises to be almost unnoticeable in your hand.
On September 12, Apple’s official website suddenly changed the release date of the iPhone Air to “release information to be updated” and stated that all models will be released after obtaining approval. The iPhone Air has not yet passed regulatory approval.
In response, Apple China issued a statement saying they are eagerly looking forward to users experiencing the iPhone Air. They are currently working closely with regulatory authorities to strive for a quick launch in China.
Apple China also mentioned that they have been closely collaborating with their carrier partners and regulatory authorities and are currently awaiting the final approval to launch the iPhone Air in China. Chinese mobile operators like China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom are also waiting for regulatory approval for their eSIM smartphones to provide the iPhone Air to users.
The iPhone Air is the thinnest phone ever released by Apple. In order to save internal space, the iPhone Air has done away with the physical SIM card slot and is only compatible with eSIM.
Unlike traditional removable SIM cards, eSIMs are embedded directly into the chip, allowing users to access services like calls and text messages once their information is written in, and can quickly connect to local networks globally. Compared to physical cards, eSIMs have advantages in terms of flexibility, security, and user experience.
In fact, Apple had already eliminated physical card slots from their iPhone 14 series in the U.S. market back in 2022. So why is it not usable in mainland China?
According to Baidu, the main reason for the limited use of eSIM in China is due to the country’s technical standards and regulatory systems being incompatible with international standards, resulting in operators being unable to offer eSIM services to users. Additionally, Chinese operators have absolute control over user numbers and are reluctant to use eSIM technology to allow users to easily switch carriers. Coupled with regulatory challenges, these factors have limited the promotion and use of eSIMs domestically.
However, political commentator Li Linyi believes that foreign eSIM cards can often bypass the Great Firewall of China by routing network traffic to servers outside China, while eSIM cards from Chinese operators are subject to the same restrictions and monitoring as regular Chinese SIM cards.
Li Linyi stated that Chinese users who own an iPhone 17 that supports eSIM cards may be able to Jail Break it and purchase overseas carrier SIM cards online. By skipping the process of physically mailing the card, an instant activation can be achieved. Once remotely activated in mainland China, this eSIM card, being in a “roaming” state, calculates data usage based on the purchasing country’s export rates, allowing for access to websites like YouTube, Facebook, and more in China. This bypasses the Great Firewall, posing a threat to the stability of the Communist regime, which is why they are concerned.
Previously, Huang Gengsheng, former director of the China Mobile Research Institute Business Research Institute, stated in the media that the transition to eSIM technology replacing SIM card slots would have a profound impact on the entire ecosystem. Operators are being cautious, especially in the context of Sino-U.S. trade frictions, as the issue of card issuance could pose problems and potentially raise issues regarding information security.
The inability to sell the iPhone Air in China has limited consumer choices. Online users have expressed their thoughts, with one commenting, “The foundation of authoritarian rule lies in violence and lies. Anything that could break the lies and expose the truth is the enemy of authoritarian regimes. They are cautious, fearing problems with the Great Firewall.”
“Foreign phones cannot use domestic eSIM, effectively forcing users to choose domestic phones.”
“China keeps talking about aligning with international standards while setting various barriers to resist internally and externally… China is slowly becoming a world island.”
Commenting on restrictions, some users sarcastically remarked, “Now we all know what phone to buy.”
“It doesn’t matter, Chinese people have Huawei.”
“In the controlled area, usage is prohibited.”
“The chef is saving you, right? Originally, overseas phones were hard to monitor. Now they are totally exposed.”
“Only domestically-sold iPhone Airs enjoy eSIM. The overseas version is wiped off. This ‘special treatment’ truly is the Chinese way.”
“If not restricted, the manpower and resources China invested in the Great Firewall would go to waste, making it impossible to loosen restrictions in the future, with foreigners having to endure expensive roaming fees.”