Apple’s iPhone Air sells out in China within minutes of launch

The device sold out at all physical Apple stores in Beijing, Shanghai, and other major cities such as Tianjin within minutes after pre-orders began last Friday morning, the South China Morning Post reported. Online delivery was pushed back by one to two weeks.

It sits between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro series in terms of prices, at 7,999 yuan (US$1,100) for the 256GB model, 9,999 yuan for 512GB, and 11,999 yuan for 1TB.

The iPhone Air at its launch event. Photo by VnExpress/Tuan Hung

Measuring just 5.6 mm thick and weighing 165 grams, the model is Apple’s thinnest iPhone yet while still boasting a large 6.5-inch display, according to the official website.

It is also the brand’s first model to use only eSIM. China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, the country’s three biggest carriers, had received regulatory approval to begin trial eSIM services just days before the launch, according to an industry ministry website cited by Reuters.

The launch also came on the heels of CEO Tim Cook’s latest China visit, where he made a surprise appearance on an Apple Store livestream on Douyin to promote the phone last Monday, as reported by the Global Times.

The trip was Cook’s second to China this year. His previous visit to Beijing in March saw him reaffirm Apple’s commitment to the market, pledging to expand investment in areas such as supply chains, research and development, and social responsibility to support China’s high-quality development.

The strong demand highlights the warm reception for the new Apple phone in the world’s largest smartphone market, even as competition intensifies from Android rivals like Huawei and Xiaomi, both of which have been moving into the premium segment despite a sluggish economy.

As of the third quarter of this year, Vivo led the Chinese smartphone market with an 18% market share, followed by Huawei at 16% and Apple at 15%. Xiaomi and Oppo rounded out the top five.