Apple CEO Tim Cook surprises Chinese fans with Douyin livestream promoting iPhone 17 series

Cook announced that the iPhone Air, Apple's thinnest phone, will be available for preorders at 9 a.m. on Friday, with sales officially starting on Oct. 22, as reported by Global Times.

The iPhone Air’s launch in China will be about a month later than the global release due to regulatory restrictions on eSIM technology. Prices for the iPhone Air begin at 7,999 yuan (US$1,122), according to the South China Morning Post.

Tim Cook (right) appears on Douyin livestream to promote the new iPhone series in China. Photo from Facebook

Cook’s livestream marked his first appearance on Chinese social media since Apple’s official flagship store joined Douyin Mall in August. The session quickly became a trending topic on Tuesday, according to social media tracker Entobit.cn.

Earlier on Monday Cook visited Shanghai, where he began his trip at Pop Mart's 10th anniversary exhibition for the monsters. He received a Labubu doll as a gift from the company’s founder, Wang Ning. On Tuesday, he met with shoppers at the Apple Store in Shanghai’s Pudong district and spent time with Chinese singer-actress Wang Feifei on the set of her new music video, filmed using the 17 Pro, as shared in Cook’s Weibo post.

Cook has visited China several times in recent years, with this marking his second trip in 2025. In March, during his first visit to Beijing this year, Cook reiterated Apple’s commitment to expanding investments in areas such as supply chains, research and development, and social responsibility to support China’s high-quality development.