China-Version iPhone Air First Test: We Tried Every Carrier and Found All the eSIM Pitfalls
Apple’s Upcoming Quick Transfer for eSIM in China
> Arun Mathias, Apple’s VP of Wireless Software Technologies and Ecosystems, revealed in an interview with ifanr that Apple plans to launch a Quick Transfer feature in mainland China.
> Once users enable eSIM on their device, they’ll be able to transfer the eSIM to a new device remotely — without visiting a carrier store.
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First-Hand Experience: eSIM Activation in Mainland China
In recent days, ifanr obtained the mainland China version of the iPhone Air and visited multiple carrier service centers in Guangzhou to explore the full eSIM activation process with major carriers. We also spoke with carrier staff to address key user questions.
Early Observations
- Experience is still early-stage and policy restrictions remain.
- Processing speed was surprisingly efficient — credit to the staff at all three carriers we visited.
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Step-by-Step Activation Journey
We started at Guangdong Unicom’s headquarters service center with:
- The iPhone Air
- Editor’s ID card
Process:
- Submit your ID and current number.
- Staff writes eSIM data directly onto your phone.
- Takes less than 5 minutes for the writing stage.
- Sign authorization documents.
- Staff keeps a copy of your ID and a photo for records.
> Your physical SIM remains active until eSIM activation. Once complete, the physical SIM stops working immediately.
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Key Restriction: Cross-Province Activation
- Carriers claim cross-region eSIM processing is allowed, but…
- Our tests showed cross-province conversion is currently NOT possible.
Example:
- Editor A’s Beijing-registered Unicom number couldn’t be converted to eSIM in Guangzhou.
- We used Editor B’s Guangzhou-registered number instead.
Implication:
If your phone number is registered in a different province, you may need to travel back to that province for eSIM conversion.
> We believe this restriction will ease with future policy updates.
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Roaming and Foreign SIM Support
We asked carriers about eSIM + roaming and foreign eSIMs:
- Roaming abroad works the same as a physical SIM after eSIM activation.
- Foreign iPhone Air models cannot activate Mainland China carrier eSIMs.
- Mainland China iPhone Air models cannot activate foreign eSIMs while inside China.
> The Mainland version model A3518 is fully compatible with global network bands — in theory, it should work abroad.
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Switching to eSIM: Costs and Plans
Good news:
- No extra fees for switching from physical SIM to eSIM.
- Your current plan is retained — including bundled broadband + mobile offers.
⚠ The only fee applies if you switch back to a physical SIM after using eSIM (need to produce a new card).
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One Number Dual Terminal (Apple Watch / Tablet)
All three carriers told us:
- No official notifications yet.
- Feature unavailable until after iPhone Air’s official launch.
Advice: If you need this feature urgently — wait for official carrier updates.
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Migrating eSIM After Damage or Upgrade
Carrier policy:
- Bring ID & device to a service center.
- Staff will:
- Unbind eSIM
- Issue physical SIM
- Or activate new eSIM on replacement phone
- Limit: Max 5 SIM reissues per month — each migration counts toward this limit.
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Activation Experience vs Overseas
One editor, experienced with 10+ eSIMs globally, says:
- Mainland activation is less convenient than overseas.
- Requires in-person visits for activation and migration.
- Expect heavy traffic at service centers after the iPhone Air’s October 22 launch.
Important:
Frontline staff are adapting quickly under short training timelines. Please be patient — the inconvenience is policy-driven, not staff-driven.
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Final Takeaway
> “Apart from the inconvenient parts, everything else is actually quite convenient.”
If you still have questions, leave them in the comments.
For iPhone Air insights, see our review video: 4 Highlights and 6 Trade-offs of the iPhone Air.
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Summary of Key Points
- Quick Transfer coming soon — remote eSIM migration without store visits
- Cross-province eSIM conversion not yet possible
- No plan changes / fees (unless switching back to physical SIM)
- Global roaming works with eSIM
- Foreign eSIMs cannot be activated in Mainland models while in China
- Be patient with service staff during early rollout
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Would you like me to create a comparison table between Mainland and Overseas eSIM activation experiences so readers can visually see the differences? That could make this even clearer.
