Apple Has Considered Removing SIM Card Slot From Some iPhone 14 Models

[M.Rizk]

There’s a reason why hardware switch for wifi, Bluetooth, microphone and camera on some Linux phones exist, same for the physical SIM card. For physical sim, when it’s taken out, the phone has no way to connect to any tower except for sos depending on country. For esim however, you can turn it off in software, but there’s nothing preventing the OS to connect to surrounding tower every so often to check stuff and whatnot. Yes, esim allows Apple Watch cellular exist, but I also believe removing SIM card tray comes with its own cost. We just don’t know exactly what it is.

Id guess current esim provisioning process prevents cash esim from being a thing, since details must be downloaded from certain carrier somehow during activation, rather than information being stored on physical SIM card, carrier already know enough of your information to activate the network for you.

But you can also delete the eSIM and it will be gone. If you are paranoid enough to think iOS will still keep the eSIM profile after deletion and even use it then you should also be paranoid enough to think iOS will also auto connect to any open WiFi network and transmit as much data as it needs.

Same for Bluetooth too. Maybe Apple has it coded in iOS to transfer data to other surrounding iPhones via AirDrop to use their cellular connection to leak your data. I mean that’s how Find My network works, no?

Also what stops the phone from reporting that the physical SIM is still inserted. The iPhone already knows the data it needs to connect to said tower. Not like the tower can check if the SIM is physically inserted or not.

eSIM changes nothing. It is the very same tech. It is basically a profile with the very basic info about said carrier and their preferred roaming partners and ICCID. It is literally the same data stored on a physical SIM card.

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There is nothing stopping a carrier from offering “cash only” prepaid eSIM card except it just not wanting to. My carrier already issues prepaid eSIMs. eSIMs are no different from a physical SIM.

It just that eSIM is not a necessity and it is exclusive to high end phones so your carrier wants to push you to postpaid since it means more profits to them and a guaranteed monthly payment.

 

[kalafalas]

If it means larger battery I’m all for it! Swapping e-sims is even easier than physical sims these days, at least in US

 

[macchelsea]

Surprise to see so many people here welcoming this move. Privacy is an issue, and when you travel a physical roaming sim is still the easiest way to get mobile data by just buying one at the airport.

 

[0924487]

Sure, you can push US and Canadian carriers to switch to eSIM, but how do I travel to, let’s say, China? You have to get all countries to switch then remove the SIM slot, including ones that explicitly banned eSIM. It’s not I can use an adapter for this.

 

[mystery hill]

when you travel a physical roaming sim is still the easiest way to get mobile data by just buying one at the airport.

I find it easier to purchase and install an eSIM before travelling internationally so that I have cellular data as soon as I land and while still on the airplane.

 

[mystery hill]

Sure, you can push US and Canadian carriers to switch to eSIM, but how do I travel to, let’s say, China? You have to get all countries to switch then remove the SIM slot, including ones that explicitly banned eSIM. It’s not I can use an adapter for this.

China is the only country that has been so reluctant to adopt eSIMs.

You could purchase a China Unicom eSIM if travelling there.

 

[Madonepro]

That is already a thing. My carrier already issues me a QR code that can be used as many times as I need as long as the eSIM is not installed on a device.

If you mean multi SIM on one line then that too is possible if your carrier upgraded their systems and offer multi SIM per line in the first place. eSIM doesn’t change anything here.

No I mean, how the AW accesses cellular networks (data and voice) and has the same number and account as your iPhone.

 

[B-Mc-C]

That's my issue though. Is that while there is some support for this sort of thing. There needs to be an enforced standard. As sometimes it can be a big pain with carriers, take support calls or simply have a long delay before the switch occurs. It needs to be as quick as someone can grab an eject tool, eject the sim and pop it into another phone.

No. If Apple does not force carriers to move forward, some never will. Tying up so much space inside a modern phone for such antiquated technology is ridiculous. The same thing happened with parallel ports, floppy disk drives, and old USB ports. I would much rather have a 15-20% larger battery than this SIM card slot I don’t use. Most in this thread seem to agree. There will always be people that cling to their old technology but nobody is forcing them to upgrade.

 

[M.Rizk]

No I mean, how the AW accesses cellular networks (data and voice) and has the same number and account as your iPhone.

Yea. That’s called multi SIM per line and has existed for ages, before even Apple Watch was a thing. Not all carrier support it though as there is rarely any demand for it specially when many charge extra for it.

 

[blairh]

When I summer in Italy I use a local SIM. I'm assuming that would be a headache if the iPhone is eSIM only.

 

[mystery hill]

When I summer in Italy I use a local SIM. I'm assuming that would be a headache if the iPhone is eSIM only.

You can purchase a prepaid eSIM before leaving for Italy. That way you’ll have cellular data when you land. You wouldn’t have to worry about losing your physical SIM card when swapping.

 

[Radeon85]

About time the SIM slot was removed, it's just taking up valuable space that can be used for something else.

 

[Radeon85]

Can you use eSIMs in the UK? I'm on GiffGaff. My current SE2 has a physical SIM card in it.

I think all the carriers support eSIMs at this point, been using an eSIM only on my iPhone for 2yrs with EE. The GiffGaff carrier is 02 and they definitely support it. At this point there is no physical reason that carriers need to use a physical SIM anymore.

 

[FelixDerKater]

For $499 they will replace the SIM card locked away inside on a needlessly complex repair machine.

 

[genovelle]

I’m not a fan of this. I like switching the sim of my secondary line between my Android phones and iPhones. The less I have to interact with my carrier in any way, the better for me and for them.

Couldn’t you have the e-sim profile on your phones and digitally switch between them?

 

[0092762]

Not all carriers play so well with esims, especially in some foreign countries where the charge each time to activate it with a different device compared to just changing the physical sim, so this would not be a good move for me.

 

[Cromulent]

I think all the carriers support eSIMs at this point, been using an eSIM only on my iPhone for 2yrs with EE. The GiffGaff carrier is 02 and they definitely support it. At this point there is no physical reason that carriers need to use a physical SIM anymore.

I've just switched to Smarty, and I don't think they support eSIM from what I have read, which is a shame, but given my phone still has a SIM slot, it isn't the end of the world.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I personally enjoy the flexibility of having both eSIM and physical SIMs on one device

 

[Cromulent]

I personally enjoy the flexibility of having both eSIM and physical SIMs on one device

I'd happily see the SIM slot be removed if it meant better battery life.

 

[5105973]

Couldn’t you have the e-sim profile on your phones and digitally switch between them?

Not all the phones I like to switch among can do e sims. I have a few oldies I like to throw back in the mix from time to time.

And I don’t trust my carrier not to impose a fee down the line once we are all without options.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not so entrenched that I’m going to boycott an e-sim only phone. I just prefer to retain the ability to manually pop my SIM card into whatever phone I want to use whenever I want. Carriers have a way of inserting themselves into every process they can, because they want to retain as much control as they can so they can insert fees whenever they want.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I'd happily see the SIM slot be removed if it meant better battery life.

That's a big "if"

Who knows what Apple would actually do with that little bit of more space

 

[turbineseaplane]

And I don’t trust my carrier not to impose a fee down the line once we are all without options.

Me either

People are being incredibly optimistic if they don't think carriers will start charging eSIM activation/swap fees once they have us stuck with that as the only option to switch devices.

Carriers are absolute control freaks and hate the current flexibility the consumers have.

 

[KaliYoni]

Who knows what Apple would actually do with that little bit of more space

That statement only became possible after Sir Jony's departure...
;-)

 

[SenorWhyMe]

rip going to countries with lack of esim

 

[joshen]

All carriers need to make the process of creating a new eSIM easier first. Switching phones is a nuisance right now, with having to contact the carrier each time to issue a new QR code.