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Apple Has Considered Removing SIM Card Slot From Some iPhone 14 Models
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Given how totally horrendous and inept the esim experience has been on what should be flagship carriers, I’m really hoping they rethink the ramifications of removing physical sim slots.
Nobody, and I mean, nobody, wants to go to a disgusting franchised Verizon store and try to explain to the criminally underpaid worker how esims work. To this day I have nothing but problems with the esim implementation and deployment.
To paraphrase Ernest and Julio, they sold that wine way, way, way before it’s time.
Nobody, and I mean, nobody, wants to go to a disgusting franchised Verizon store and try to explain to the criminally underpaid worker how esims work. To this day I have nothing but problems with the esim implementation and deployment.
To paraphrase Ernest and Julio, they sold that wine way, way, way before it’s time.
It's possible to buy and load an eSIM from home and then you're connected from the moment you land.
List of international eSIM providers here:
The best prepaid eSIM providers - esims.io
Search providers that offer prepaid data eSIM plans for travel to hundreds of countries.
Actually, I kinda hope Apple do this, if not to simply force the lazy carriers to support eSIM.
Despite iphones and Samsung Galaxy S and foldables have been supporting eSIM, majority of carriers in SE Aasia still do not support eSIM. Very few do, and most only support it on postpaid. It seems that many carriers are still counting their KPIs based on physical SIM distribution or something. Even sub brands that pretend to be hip and "digital" are still relying on physical SIM, and users have to wait for it to be delivered. Really ridiculous when eSIM would allow instant activation (just email the QR code).
Despite iphones and Samsung Galaxy S and foldables have been supporting eSIM, majority of carriers in SE Aasia still do not support eSIM. Very few do, and most only support it on postpaid. It seems that many carriers are still counting their KPIs based on physical SIM distribution or something. Even sub brands that pretend to be hip and "digital" are still relying on physical SIM, and users have to wait for it to be delivered. Really ridiculous when eSIM would allow instant activation (just email the QR code).
The bad experience is literally bottlenecked by the carriers themselves, not the tech. eSIM was supposed to be as simple as the user scanning a QRCode to activate the line. The rest of processes are just the carriers making it hard for their own customers.
They would be idiots if they got rid of the sim, I had to go back to a physical sim on my 13 Pro Max on T-Mobile because my text messages were messed up because of esim
Apple has internally discussed the idea of launching some iPhone models without a SIM card slot by next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said the move would be part of Apple's push towards eSIMs.
Gurman said the SIM card slot could be removed on some iPhone 14 models, which Apple is expected to announce in just three days from now, although he said there is a possibility that the change will not happen until the iPhone 15 next year. The eventual removal of the SIM card slot has been rumored a few times previously.
"Apple will give eSIM a bigger push this time around, with carriers preparing to steer users toward the digital, embedded SIM cards rather than physical ones," Gurman wrote in his newsletter. "In fact, Apple has considered removing the physical SIM card slot altogether beginning either this year or next for some models."
An eSIM is a digital SIM that allows users to activate a cellular plan without having to use a physical nano-SIM card. eSIM availability is rapidly expanding, but the technology is still not available in all countries, so some iPhone models with a SIM card slot may remain available for at least a few years amid the transition.
iPhone 13 models sold at Apple Stores and on Apple.com already lack a nano-SIM card in the box, with users typically able to activate a cellular plan via eSIM by turning on the iPhone, connecting to a Wi-Fi network, and following the on-screen instructions. iPhone 13 models also support multiple eSIM profiles, allowing users to subscribe to several cellular plans digitally and switch between them, which is useful for travel.
The removal of the SIM card slot could help to further improve the iPhone's water resistance, and perhaps free up a tiny amount of space inside the device.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 14 lineup during a special event at Steve Jobs Theater on Wednesday. Other products expected to be announced include Apple Watch Series 8 models, a new Apple Watch SE, an Apple Watch Pro, and new AirPods Pro.
Article Link: Apple Has Considered Removing SIM Card Slot From Some iPhone 14 Models
Once a few popular phones go eSIM only, that ******** will go away quickly.
Really, I have no sympathy for companies that pull this petty garbage. It's like Walmart not accepting Apple Pay because they want you to use some lame app they built. Companies shouldn't go out of their way to not support industry standards that make our lives easier.
Because something is possible, doesn't detract from the wonderful and lovely flexibility of doing all this the "normal way" with a simple sim swap
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It is really annoying when a tech being withheld by these carriers due to their own greed.
Take carriers in Singapore, who rely a lot on tourism. You would think eSIM would be a no brainer, as eSIM would make it easy for tourists, yet 2 out of 3 carriers only support eSIM on postpaid plans. Although the 3rd one offers eSIM version of their tourist plan, they don't sell it online, so you still have to go to a physical store just to get a piece of paper for the QR code. Really backwards.
Indonesia is worse. Only 1 carrier out of 4 supports eSIM, and its the smallest carrier in terms of coverage. The big 3 dont even know what eSIM is. This is despite Samsung already begging them to support eSIM for the foldables.
It's like they still use physical SIM distribution as one of their main KPIs. Bewildering.
And people said the headphone jack was wonderful and simple. The floppy drive was wonderful and simple. Sometimes what's wonderful and simple is outdated and it dies, it has happened since the beginning of tech.
Those things are all very different situations
Headphone jack and floppy disk removals don't count on support from third party mega corps around the world to still ensure good user experiences for the Apple customers.
Just "removing stuff" ≠ some great advancement
This whole forum needs to stop believing everything Apple does is "good" and "right" and "pushing things forward".
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Err, it's simpler to just purchase and load an eSIM in advance prior to traveling and simply turning it on when you land. Versus trying to find a local SIM in a new place that you might not be familiar with. And that's assuming you land during business hour. Plenty of places don't have 24hour Stores in their airports.
I experienced this when going to Malaysia recently. I found a Malaysian MVNO that allows purchase of eSIM online (they just email the QR code). I simply add the plan to my S21, and when I landed there, I switch to the eSIM and went on my way, without having to fumble around looking for a local SIM and activating it. Saved me a lot of time.
Well you really only have the choice to either buy an Apple product or to not buy an Apple product. You can whine all night long but it doesn't change what they will or will not do.
We don't really know what they will do yet either. I honestly doubt this is the year of dropping the SIM, but maybe next year, or maybe with the foldable iPhone (like the Moto Razr which is eSIM only).
Regardless, every situation is different, but the concept is still there. And for all you know maybe carriers all support eSIM because losing some customers will be the kick in the pants to get them to deploy eSIM. It's not like eSIM is unobtainium or something.
Removing the SIM card would be the most consumer-unfriendly crap I've seen and would take us back to the old CDMA days before SIM cards existed.
No thanks.
No thanks.
I hope that's the case. eSIM support is still a rarity in SE Asia. In my country Indonesia, only 1 out of 4 carriers support eSIM, and unfortunately it's the smallest carrier in terms of coverage.
I feel we will have wide 5G coverage sooner than full fledged eSIM support... Hopefully Apple can put more pressure. Samsung tried and it didn't work.
Apple still make Chinese version of iphones to have dual nano SIM instead or nano+eSIM, so the transition will probably be gradual. I can see US models get the eSIM only treatment first as all the US carriers do support eSIM.
I hope that's the case. Too many carriers are just too lazy in implementing proper eSIM support. Hopefully Apple can nudge them. In my country, Samsung tried talking to the big carriers about eSIM support for their foldables, but it went to deaf ears.
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eSIM may be the future. But more network operators should support and allow for easy eSIM switching between devices outside the US. Possible that devices sold in US could come only with eSIM next year. For the rest of the world, nano SIM may continue for some more time.
I find SIM cards much more convenient than eSIM. A couple of scenarios where I got in trouble with eSIM:
- Phone had to be sent in for repair, had to visit the carrier first to issue me a SIM to use for the temporary phone, and then go back to get the eSIM registered for the now repaired phone. Each visit incurred a payment and an hour of waiting.
- While travelling, broke my phone. Couldn't transfer the eSIM to a new phone. Had to wait to go back to my home country to reactivate my line
Not sure how it works for others but the national carrier where I live requires a visit to their service centers and a payment every time a SIM or eSIM is registered.
Before I support eSIM it has to be as convenient as regular SIM, and it should be in my control (should not require the carrier to install it). Right now it's great while it works but quickly becomes a nightmare when something unexpected happens.
- Phone had to be sent in for repair, had to visit the carrier first to issue me a SIM to use for the temporary phone, and then go back to get the eSIM registered for the now repaired phone. Each visit incurred a payment and an hour of waiting.
- While travelling, broke my phone. Couldn't transfer the eSIM to a new phone. Had to wait to go back to my home country to reactivate my line
Not sure how it works for others but the national carrier where I live requires a visit to their service centers and a payment every time a SIM or eSIM is registered.
Before I support eSIM it has to be as convenient as regular SIM, and it should be in my control (should not require the carrier to install it). Right now it's great while it works but quickly becomes a nightmare when something unexpected happens.
Until major carriers in every country make it really simple to load eSims like you're saying, we still need physical slim slots. I travel almost every other week to another country and most places sell local sim cards at baggage claim or even at immigration.
Right now on my 12 Pro Max, my main Tmobile line is on eSim and I use the physical sim for whichever country I am in.