The iPhone 17 launch is unlikely to have a domestic version in China, and the new Air model is expected to be absent from the Chinese market this year

Due to delays in localized AI features and the potential adoption of eSIM design, the release and sales prospects of the iPhone 17 series in the Chinese market are overshadowed.

According to the latest report from renowned tech journalist Mark Gurman, Apple's AI suite "Apple Intelligence" will miss its debut alongside the iPhone 17 in the Chinese market. Although Apple is still actively promoting its launch in China, the earliest expected launch time is now pushed to the end of this year, which means the new device will lack a key core selling point in its initial release.

Meanwhile, the new lightweight model "iPhone 17 Air," which is expected to be a highlight at the launch event on September 10, may face entry challenges in the Chinese market due to its design that only supports eSIM cards. Gurman stated that this hardware specification could lead to the model's release in China being "restricted or delayed" until Apple finds a solution with carriers.

For Apple, which heavily relies on the Chinese market, the delay in software features and the incompatibility of key hardware pose a double blow. This could not only weaken its position in the fierce competition with local brands but also introduce new risk variables regarding the sales performance of the iPhone 17, which investors are closely watching.

Absence of AI features at the domestic launch, uncertainty remains for year-end rollout

For Chinese consumers eager to experience Apple's native AI features on the new iPhone, the wait will continue.

According to plans, Apple originally hoped to introduce Apple Intelligence to China through the iOS 18.6 system update by mid-year, but this process has been repeatedly delayed.

It is understood that Apple has technically prepared to support Chinese AI (such as in the iOS 18.5 system), and the Apple Intelligence for the domestic iPhone will be provided through third-party services, integrating models from Alibaba and Baidu.

Gurman revealed that Apple's current goal is to launch these features by the end of this year through the iOS 26.1 or iOS 26.2 update, and internal testing has been conducted among employees in China, but given various uncertainties, the release plan may still be postponed again.

New Air model may face entry challenges

In addition to software feature delays, challenges on the hardware front are equally severe. A major focus of this launch event is expected to be the new "iPhone 17 Air," which features a lightweight design with a 6.6-inch large screen.

However, a core issue is that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to completely eliminate the physical SIM card slot and fully transition to eSIM. Gurman explicitly pointed out in his column that supporting only eSIM "will make its sales in mainland China difficult," and the possibility of being "restricted or delayed" cannot be ruled out In the Chinese market, the promotion and popularity of eSIM are far behind that of Europe and the United States, with mainstream users still heavily relying on physical SIM cards. If Apple cannot provide a version of the iPhone 17 Air that supports physical cards for the Chinese market, it will undoubtedly greatly limit its market acceptance and may even cause it to miss the best sales window.

In addition, the product positioning of the iPhone 17 Air itself is also controversial.

In pursuit of extreme thinness, this model has made compromises in battery life and camera (such as using a single rear camera), and its pricing is expected to be sandwiched between the more comprehensive standard version of the iPhone 17 and the more powerful iPhone 17 Pro.

Referring to the previous sales performance of Samsung Electronics' similarly positioned model S25 Edge, the market currently holds a cautious attitude towards the sales prospects of the iPhone 17 Air