Last year eSIM was more expensive in practically country I visited in Asia, if they had it at all
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All iPhone 16 Models Sold Outside U.S. Still Have Physical SIM Card Tray
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The photo is directly from Apple. The SIM slot is just below the volume buttons. Everyone gets a tray. The U.S. models get a blank space.
Apple knows their costs better than you or I. If shipping an iPhone with a physical SIM tray everywhere saved them money, I think you could bet they would.
For all of those saying that eSIM can be cheaper in some markets than physical SIM cards… I'm not doubting your experience, but I don't understand why this should be the case? There is no reason that a company offering a physical SIM can't also offer an eSIM, is there? And with no physical goods that need to produced, packaged, and shipped… (or perhaps if there is just a paper card with a QR code or something like that), why wouldn't eSIM be just as cheap, if not cheaper than a physical one?
Yeah, I totally don't blame you
When I had a XR (which still had both the physical SIM slot in addition to eSIM) I was so hesitant to change from my physical one to an eSIM for that reason
But once I did finally take the plunge and tap that convert to eSIM button, I then breathed a huge sigh of relief once I did and didn't have any issues
Really worked out for me in the long run too as I then didn't have to go through with this at the last minute when upgrading from my XR to the 15 last year
Yep, that's the other side of the phone from the new camera button. Thanks for the correction!
Have you looked at Airalo? They have options in most places in the world. I used it in Korea and Japan recently.
Stopped using a physical sim in the UK years ago as I much prefer eSIMs so I have no issues getting rid of that port one day.
Yes, and if they remove that stupid slot they are getting more space for bigger battery or something else.
Yep, but they were more expensive than the local SIMs in countries like Thailand. I'd be more tempted if there wasn't a 100% markup (which Thailand are bad for on all 'tourist' SIMs).
In my experience, it's just the opposite. If you buy a throwaway data sim-card locally, it's usually much, much cheaper than buyin a travel esim like the ones from e.g. Airalo (like you pay $10 for 3gb on the esim which you have to renew after 7 days or get 30 gb for $15 when buying a physical sim locally).
I wouldn't want to be restricted to the much pricier option. Why not have both options? Sure, buying an international plan from an U.S.-carrier, which are notorious for their high prices, will be even more.
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The Sony RX100 series (as an example) takes better pictures than any phone. The sensor is physically larger than any phone’s sensors
Agree, UK has almost all carriers on eSim, and to change between devices you can do this really easily in most of the carriers apps. So it's a non-issue over physical.
However, until the rest of the planet catches up to countries like US, UK, other European, et al., having a physical sim is a useful option to retain. But it shouldn't be this way, non-eSim carriers should be getting their act together and updating to eSim options ASAP.
Good! I need to be able to swap my sim from work easily between the phone I am SUPPOSED to be using and the phone I am actually using
What would be the point if you can install an unlimited amount of ESIM? No one forces you to put a sim in?
Apple makes 4 different versions per model of iPhone depending on the region.
Apple removed the slot on the U.S. iPhone 15 models. If you compare with global models, all Apple did was spread out the components on the U.S. logic board to fill it up. 😆
Even without additional space, all Apple added was a button this year. They still managed to significantly improve battery life. There's really no excuse for deleting the slot.
Apple does in fact make more than 2 versions of any iPhone.
- one for USA + Puerto Rico
- one for Middle East + Japan + Canada + Mexico + Virgin Islands + Guam
- one for China + Hong Kong + Macao
- one for the rest of the Word
source: https://www.apple.com/iphone/cellular/
I agree. A few years back, I had to contact the German Postal Service and wait for almost an hour to get a local prepaid SIM card activated. Nowadays, with Airalo or Mobimatter -or one of the multiple eSIM services- you get online as soon as you arrive at your destination.
There's software and infrastructure required to implement eSIM. We don't know how much or if Apple is demanding a cut from carriers.
It is when there isn't activation issues. If you need support after hours you're boned.
2?!? Check the part numbers around the globe, there’s way more than two. Sim/no sim, different frequency bands, etc, etc.
But with a European model iPhone 16/Pro you can still use two eSIMs at once (Dual SIM Dual Standby) if you don't have an (physical) nano SIM in the slot, right?