Apple’s new iPhone Air sold out within minutes of its launch in China on Friday, underscoring its strong appeal among Chinese consumers despite the ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The successful launch comes shortly after Apple CEO Tim Cook’s visit to China to promote the company’s latest product in the world’s largest smartphone market. Cook, who serves as the chairman of an advisory board at Tsinghua University’s management school, also met Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng during his visit. He Lifeng heads China’s trade delegation currently engaged in talks with the United States to resolve tariff issues.
Pre-sales for the iPhone Air, which supports only e-SIM technology, began at 9 a.m. local time on Friday—over a month later than in most other countries. According to Apple’s website, the model was sold out within minutes at physical stores in Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. Online orders were delayed by one to two weeks due to overwhelming demand.
The report noted that the strong sales highlight the positive reception of Apple’s thinnest model yet, even as competition intensifies from domestic brands like Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi, which are expanding their presence in the premium smartphone segment.
Despite the enthusiasm for Apple’s latest release, the Chinese smartphone market contracted by 3 per cent year on year in the third quarter. Vivo led the market with an 18 per cent share, followed by Huawei with 16 per cent and Apple with 15 per cent. Xiaomi and Oppo rounded out the top five.
During his trip, Cook also met with China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao to discuss bilateral economic and trade relations as well as Apple’s long-term commitment to the Chinese market. The company reaffirmed its intention to contribute to China’s high-quality development and strengthen cooperation between the two countries, which Cook described as essential for global economic progress.
On his personal Weibo account, Cook announced that Apple is collaborating with Beijing’s Anzhen Hospital, a leading institution in cardiology, to explore how Apple Watch users in China can monitor potential heart conditions. He also revealed a donation to Tsinghua University to support the development of future environmental leaders.
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