Apple CEO Tim Cook makes a surprise appearance on a Douyin Apple Store livestream on October 13, 2025, announcing preorder and sale dates for the new iPhone Air in China. Photo: Screenshot from the Douyin Apple Store livestream

Apple CEO Tim Cook made a surprise appearance on a Douyin Apple Store livestream on Monday night, announcing that preorders for the iPhone Air in China will open at 9 am on October 17, with sales starting on October 22.

It marked Cook's first livestream appearance on the platform since Apple's official flagship store joined Douyin Mall in August.

As Apple's first model to rely solely on eSIM, the iPhone Air depends on eSIM services provided by China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom in the Chinese mainland. Apple noted that users should contact their carriers for details on activation and service terms. The design not only enables a slimmer build but is also seen as a key step toward promoting wider eSIM adoption in China, according to media reports.

On October 13, China Unicom announced via its official WeChat account that it had received approval to launch a commercial pilot program for eSIM mobile services and opened a nationwide online reservation channel. On the same day, China Mobile also announced that it had received approval to begin its own eSIM commercial pilot program, allowing users to visit local service centers to activate eSIM mobile services.

The iPhone Air is priced at 7,999 yuan ($1,100) for the 256GB model, 9,999 yuan for 512GB, and 11,999 yuan for 1TB — positioning it between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro series.

Earlier on the day, Cook visited Shanghai, with his first stop in China being Pop Mart's THE MONSTERS 10th anniversary exhibition, according to a statement Pop Mart sent to the Global Times on Monday.

At the exhibition, POP MART founder Wang Ning and LABUBU artist Kasing Lung interacted warmly with Apple CEO Tim Cook as they toured original LABUBU sketches and a wide range of products. Kasing Lung demonstrated how he creates LABUBU illustrations on an iPad Pro, while Wang presented Cook with a surprise gift—LABUBU, according to the statement.

Apple CEO Tim Cook visited the Chinese mainland multiple times in recent years, underlining the importance of the vast Chinese market.

In 2024, Cook visited China three times. This trip marks his second visit to the country in 2025. During his first visit to Beijing in March this year, he said Apple would continue to expand investment in areas including supply chains, research and development, and social responsibility to support China's high-quality development.