October 21, 2025 Apple CEO Tim Cook wrapped up a six-day visit to China with a pledge to bring the company’s new artificial intelligence features to the country, as demand for the delayed iPhone Air soared.
Speaking at the Global Asset Management Forum in Shanghai on Saturday, Cook said Apple is “working on getting [Apple Intelligence] into China right now,” describing AI as “making a difference in people’s lives” with applications across business, education, and healthcare. The comments came as Apple’s stock hit a record high of US $262.42 on October 20, boosted by strong iPhone sales momentum in China.
The iPhone Air, which opened for pre-orders on Friday after a month-long regulatory delay, sold out within minutes on Apple’s online store and major retail platforms. Chinese media reported delivery times of one to two weeks for all colours and configurations. The ultra-thin model initially faced regulatory hurdles over its eSIM-only design, as most Chinese smartphones still use physical SIM cards. The launch followed new government approval allowing China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom to begin commercial eSIM operations.
To comply with Chinese data rules, Apple has reportedly partnered with Alibaba Cloud to power Apple Intelligence using its Qwen large language models, diverging from its global partnership with OpenAI’s GPT technology. The deal marks a key step toward making Apple’s AI features available on devices in mainland China and Hong Kong, where they have remained restricted since their announcement in June 2024.
Cook’s meetings with Chinese regulators and industry leaders highlight Apple’s effort to navigate complex local requirements while keeping pace with domestic competitors such as Huawei. Although Cook offered no timeline for Apple Intelligence’s rollout, his remarks signal Apple’s commitment to maintaining its foothold in its second-largest market.
