Apple(US:AAPL) Benzinga·2025-10-14 04:16Core Insights - Apple Inc. is set to open preorders for its new iPhone Air in China, following regulatory approval for eSIM services by major telecom operators [1][2] - The iPhone Air will be Apple's first eSIM-supported model in China, with a starting price of 7,999 yuan (approximately $1,121) [2] Telecom Regulatory Approval - China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has granted regulatory clearance for China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom to provide trial eSIM services [2][3] - All three telecom operators are now authorized to offer eSIM connectivity on approved devices [3] Market Competition - The announcement of the iPhone Air comes amid increasing competition in China's smartphone market, with analysts predicting Huawei Technologies will surpass Apple in sales by Q2 2025 [6] - Xiaomi's budget-friendly 15S Pro is gaining traction, benefiting from strong performance and government subsidies [6] Strategic Responses - In response to competitive pressures, Apple has increased trade-in values and plans to integrate Alibaba Group's Qwen3 AI into future devices to enhance localized AI capabilities [7] - Apple's shares rose by 0.97% on Monday and are up 1.56% year-to-date [7] Stock Performance - Apple is ranked in the 73rd percentile for stock quality according to Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings, indicating solid performance and resilience against competitors [8]