Apple lost its most precious thing

iPhone Air no longer retains its appeal. Photo: Tuan Anh .

On October 22, the iPhone Air officially hit shelves in China with a starting price of 7,999 yuan ( 1,123 USD ). This is the first iPhone model in the country of a billion people to support eSIM technology. Previously, on October 17, Apple opened a pre-order program and after only 5 minutes, the entire first batch on the official website was sold out.

However, the initial excitement quickly cooled. After the launch day, inventory at Apple stores and authorized resellers increased sharply, while prices at many unofficial retail channels were discounted below the list price.

According to records at noon on October 22 at the Apple Thien Hoanh store (Guangzhou), many users still came to experience the product, especially to feel the thinness of the iPhone Air. However, this atmosphere is far different from the crowded scene on the previous iPhone 17 launch day.

Qilu Evening News quoted Mr. Wang, the owner of a phone store in Jinan, as saying that in the first two days of sales, there were almost no customers buying the iPhone Air. He said that users were concerned about poor battery life due to the ultra-thin design and were not used to the eSIM format.

In addition, the iPhone Air was launched nearly a month later than the iPhone 17, which significantly reduced its appeal. “The product was also heavily discounted during Singles’ Day, so many people chose to wait instead of buying it right away,” said Mr. Wang.

The Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily also reported a similar situation at Apple stores in downtown Shanghai. The shopping atmosphere was quite quiet, in stark contrast to the "sold out" scene when the iPhone 17 hit the shelves.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that lower-than-expected demand has led Apple to cut production plans for the iPhone Air. He predicts that by the first quarter of 2026, the number of new production of this model will be reduced by more than 80%, while some components may stop being produced by the end of 2025. According to Cailianshe , Apple is shifting production focus back to the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro lines, which have sold better.

In addition to its thin and light design, the iPhone Air is also notable for being the first iPhone model in China to support eSIM, a technology that allows you to activate your phone number online without a physical SIM card. The three major carriers, China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, all support this feature.

However, to activate eSIM, users must bring identification documents and devices to the network operator's transaction counter, causing many customers to complain that it is "too troublesome".

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-danh-mat-dieu-quy-gia-nhat-post1597085.html