Apple's newly released iPhone series, including the groundbreaking iPhone Air, has been the main topic in social media discussion in China last 10 September, with consumers expressing concerns about eSIM adoption and delayed Apple Intelligence features.
China Unicom, one of three state-owned carriers, is the only telecoms service provider able to provide eSIM service to iPhone Air users, although China Telecom and China Mobile, two other operators, said they would roll it out later. China's conditional acceptance of eSIM, along with delays in the Apple Intelligence roll-out, could result in headwinds for sales of the new iPhones in China, analysts said.
Regardless, the latest iPhones grabbed the attention of Chinese consumers. On 10 September, three of the top 10 trending topics on microblogging site Weibo were iPhone-related, two of which focused on pricing. One topic was on the 17,999 yuan (US$ 2,525) price tag for the iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2 terabytes of storage, equal to three iPhone 17s with a storage of 256 gigabytes.
Other discussions focused on the iPhone Air, the slimmest-ever iPhone with a thickness of 5.6mm. He Shijie, a tech vlogger who interviewed Apple chief executive Tim Cook in 2021, was given hands-on access to the new gadget at the launch event at Apple's Cupertino headquarters. He said it felt "rather impressive in hand", like an enlarged iPod Touch.
"The only questions are whether you can tolerate its battery life and accept having just one camera," he added.
Meanwhile, iPhone Air models purchased outside mainland China will be unable to install an eSIM profile from mainland carriers, discouraging consumers from buying a handset overseas for the greater software availability, including Apple Intelligence.
"The iPhone Air's ultra-thin design appeals only to a small number of early adopters", IDC China research manager Guo Tianxiang said. "As local competitors roll out deeply integrated AI features tailored to Chinese market demands, Apple's lag in AI capabilities is emerging as a major challenge to its growth in China," Guo said.
Given the compromises in battery life and camera, coupled with the limited eSIM support, "this model struggles to resonate with the Chinese mainstream", he added.
IDC senior research director Nabila Popal said the iPhone Air represented Apple's "most daring design leap since the iPhone X", which would "appeal to users who favour minimalist aesthetics, while the Pro series will be favoured by the majority prioritising battery life and camera performance".
"Apple has astutely segmented its product line-up, ensuring each model appeals to distinct user needs," Popal said. "Collectively, these devices will drive a robust wave of new purchases for the company."
Earlier this month, TrendForce projected that total shipments of the iPhone 17 series would be 3.5 per cent higher than the iPhone 16 line-up released in 2024, with the Pro series remaining the main sales driver.
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