Apple announced on Monday that pre-orders for its iPhone Air will begin in China later this week after major Chinese telecom companies received regulatory approval to offer eSIM services.

The iPhone Air, starting at 7,999 yuan (approximately $1,121.56), will be the only model in China for which telecom companies will provide integrated eSIM services.

An official website affiliated with China’s Ministry of Industry stated on Monday that the country’s three major telecom operators—China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom—have obtained regulatory approval to offer trial eSIM services.

Apple CEO Tim Cook, currently in Shanghai, posted on the Chinese social media platform Weibo after weeks of launching the iPhone 17 there, “Excited to announce that the iPhone Air will be available next week and pre-orders will start on Friday, October 17!” (Reuters)