Apple Hints at iPhone 17 Models Lacking SIM Card Slot in More Countries

[MacRumors]

Another hint has surfaced that Apple is preparing to eliminate the physical SIM card tray from iPhones in more countries this year.

In particular, a source familiar with the matter has informed MacRumors that retail employees at Apple Authorized Resellers in the EU are required to complete a training course related to iPhones with eSIM support by Friday, September 5. There are 27 countries in the EU, such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, which is just four days after employees must complete the training.

The training information is available in Apple's SEED app, which is used by employees at both Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Resellers around the world, so it is quite possible that the eSIM-related course extends beyond the EU.

In the United States, all iPhone 14 models and newer lack a SIM card slot, and instead rely on digital eSIM technology. Apple has yet to eliminate the SIM card tray in any other countries, but it likely will starting with the iPhone 17 series.

The Information broke the news last year:

Next year, however, Apple is planning to eliminate physical SIMs in more countries, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

The report did not mention any specific iPhone 17 models or countries.

At a minimum, the iPhone 17 Air will lack a SIM card tray in most if not all countries due to its ultra-thin design, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. However, there is a decent chance the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will also be eSIM-only internationally. There might be a few exceptions still, though, such as China.

When the iPhone 14 series launched in 2022, Apple promoted eSIMs as being more secure than physical SIM cards, as they cannot be removed from an iPhone that is lost or stolen. In addition, at least eight eSIMs can be managed on an iPhone at once, eliminating the need to obtain, carry, and swap SIM cards while traveling.

Apple has a support document with a list of carriers around that world that support eSIMs.

Article Link: Apple Hints at iPhone 17 Models Lacking SIM Card Slot in More Countries

 

[Taq'aix]

I welcome this change. More room for a bigger battery.

 

[555gallardo]

I welcome this change. More room for a bigger battery.

Exactly. Therefore the new iPhones will get an even larger camera island instead.

 

[BlackPhoenix64]

Question: can the e-sim only iPhone still be used as a dual-sim? Currently I have an iPhone 14pro with a fysical sim and an e-sim. Can I still use two sim cards in an e-sim only iPhone?

 

[kalafalas]

Question: can the e-sim only iPhone still be used as a dual-sim? Currently I have an iPhone 14pro with a fysical sim and an e-sim. Can I still use two sim cards in an e-sim only iPhone?

Yes, I have a sim-free 15 pro max with two eSIMs

 

[BelgianChoklit]

I have a strange fetish. I look forward to an iPhone without ports and openings. I celebrated when they removed the jack connector.

 

[kalafalas]

Good, get rid of it everywhere. Huge waste of internal space. The only way eSIM will catch on world wide properly. A future where I can swap my sims easily via an app and all the countries support it properly is finally approaching.

 

[jaytv111]

Question: can the e-sim only iPhone still be used as a dual-sim? Currently I have an iPhone 14pro with a fysical sim and an e-sim. Can I still use two sim cards in an e-sim only iPhone?

Yes. It has dual eSIMs, on the 13 and later.

 

[EugW]

Question: can the e-sim only iPhone still be used as a dual-sim? Currently I have an iPhone 14pro with a fysical sim and an e-sim. Can I still use two sim cards in an e-sim only iPhone?

Your wording is confusing. You can't use any SIM cards in an eSIM-only iPhone of course. You can only use eSIMs, including dual eSIMs.

For a recent iPhone that supports SIM cards, you can use a SIM card alone, an eSIM alone, a SIM card + eSIM, or dual eSIMs. Very flexible. For this reason, and because carriers are still bad at eSIM support, I hope the iPhones here in Canada retain SIM card support.

 

[jaytv111]

I have a strange fetish. I look forward to an iPhone without ports and openings. I celebrated when they removed the jack connector.

Fetish?

“Aw yeah, take it off, take all the ports off!”

Technically speakers and mics still have to be ‘open’ and thus are openings, unless you want to get crap audio quality sent through glass, or ditch speakers and mics.

 

[jlc1978]

Question: can the e-sim only iPhone still be used as a dual-sim? Currently I have an iPhone 14pro with a fysical sim and an e-sim. Can I still use two sim cards in an e-sim only iPhone?

It depends. You can't use the physical cards, but if the carrier supports eSims then you can have multiple eSims on the same device. Last time I added an account in the EU, they got a physical SIM, converted it to an eSim which I then loaded onto the iPhone. Seems a bit odd they need a physical Sim card to setup an eSim, but they did. Maybe it was an in store thing.

The good thing about this switch is I will no longer have to explain to someone the phone has no Sim slot while they insist it must because all iPhones have them.

 

[contacos]

I welcome this change. More room for a bigger battery.

Yes those 2 mm are going to be used for a battery lol

-- this sounds like a nightmare for German IT departments for business phones / contracts. We still hate change

 

[Populus]

I welcome this change. More room for a bigger battery.

Actually, no. As long as the iPhone still has physical SIM in some regions, the battery will probably be the same. We’re suffering the pain of not being able to easily switch SIM cards, or being able to use pre-paid SIM cards, with no benefit at all.

As far as I know, currently, SIM-less American iPhones and SIM-carrying European iPhones have the same battery. I don’t see why that would change if European iPhones start having just eSIM like the USA ones, while other regions keep the physical SIM.

 

[Stiille]

Yes those 2 mm are going to be used for a battery lol

-- this sounds like a nightmare for German IT departments for business phones / contracts. We still hate change

I doubt we will see eSIM only in Germany this year - I think it will only be the Air that gets eSIM only

 

[robvalentine]

This is a bad move IMO. My brand new pixel 10 pro XL has a sim slot thankfully, although I'm admittedly currently using an esim, but not all carriers allow you to move sim as easily as Vodafone UK. I do switch phones way to often tbf

 

[StoneJack]

i had a choice of Esim only iphone or SIM iphone. I chose Esim and it has been great for travel

 

[rsnhakan]

For me this is not really good news... I have a foreign physical simcard and now I have to travel to that country and switch my physical sim to an e-sim. This is not possible through the app.

 

[Dave245]

I have a WhatsApp account on my iphone and Samsung S24 Ultra, would that be affected by esim?

 

[klasma]

I have a strange fetish. I look forward to an iPhone without ports and openings. I celebrated when they removed the jack connector.

Indeed a strange fetish. Good luck with the speaker and mic.

 

[Premium1]

Question: can the e-sim only iPhone still be used as a dual-sim? Currently I have an iPhone 14pro with a fysical sim and an e-sim. Can I still use two sim cards in an e-sim only iPhone?

Yes. You can have multiple e-Sims stored on the phone but only 2 can be active at a time. Apple link

 

[ryan102]

eSim rollout outside the US is risky for Apple. There's a lot of countries who have no interesst in eSim and the initial push a few years ago has dropped off.

There's millions across Europe/RoW who maybe in 1/2/3yr contracts with networks who don't offer eSim and don't want to spend money on an engineering teams to deal with all the issues it would bring. It just isn't something cell phone users around the world are craving after. The current dual option seems ideal.

Also Apple is unlikely to improve the battery if the SimCard slot was taken out, they'd more likely stick another button in similar to the camera one.

 

[Imperial926]

Many UK providers do not support ESim, including mine!

Edit: They’ve just changed that in the last few days. Perhaps they know something!

 

[Hank001]

That’s gonna bite them hard as there are many companies in the EU that still use physical SIM’s.

 

[iHorseHead]

I need physical SIM card slots.

 

[winxmac]

So that's why the event is Awe Dropping... 😂