Apple Promotes Benefits of Using iPhone 14 With eSIM While Traveling Abroad

[contacos]

If the benefit is so great, then how come Apple only made the change to the US model. Clearly they did not think the rest of the world is ready cuz otherwise they would have just made it worldwide (minus China but they already have their own right now). Do they think Americans do not travel much abroad or what

 

[mikhaelj]

It’s very easy to activate eSim with T-Mobile on their website.

Of course you would say this, youre from SF, CA. Have you left the US mainland? Do you even travel internationally at all? Try getting an eSIM when traveling internationally for a pay as you go or pre paid plan, because that's the only plan you are eligible being NOT A NATIONAL of the country you're visiting and come back tell me how it easy it is.

 

[atomic.flip]

I don’t understand why most people here are against progress. I mean if we listened to everyone here, we would still drive around on horses and use CDs for storage. It’s not like there isn’t an option with a physical sim car right now, but at least it will move the industry forward and give an incentive for the carriers to both get on the train and make it easier to use. Otherwise it would never happen.

You assume everything novel is better. I can cite many examples where changes made in the name of progress actually created a regression in science and quality of life for many people. It happens in every industry and every facet of human engineering.

Most often it is linked to the “progress” “entity A” (for example) wishes to make with their profits.

 

[contacos]

Of course you would say this, youre from SF, CA. Have you left the US mainland? Do you even travel internationally at all? Try getting an eSIM when traveling internationally for a pay as you go or pre paid plan, because that's the only plan you are eligible being NOT A NATIONAL of the country you're visiting and come back tell me how it easy it is.

Exactly, I guess this only makes sense to people who really plan every detail for their trip in advance. Everyone else is going to fly to destination X, pick up a SIM card at the airport / any local store (even grocery stores) and buy a SIM card. I have never really came across a store that is just selling you a esim. How would that even work? A wrapped piece of plastic with a QR code on it? If anything, you would have to do it online, again how do you do that without internet?

Even locally it can be a pain in the ass. The QR-Code at my provider only works once. You have to request a new one each time. Some even charge a "service fee" for sending you a new QR-Code (I am guessing because they also charge for replacing a physical sim card). One time I changed my iPhone, removed the profile somehow and had to request a new qr-code. I had to visit 3 different stores to finally receive a new qr-code and then it said "invalid code". I wanted to SCREAM. It took me 4 days (weekend in between) to finally have a working connection again.

 

[Ted13]

Upgrading from the 11 to the 13 last year was a pain. I’m a dual sim user and had to wait 60 or so days after purchase to reactivate my 2nd line. Of course I wasn’t informed of that until after the trade in was complete.

I’m assuming the 14 is no different if you’re not buying it unlocked.

I am assuming that T-Mobile iPhone are unlocked -- am I wrong?

 

[mikhaelj]

Spoken like a king and I agree with every word you said. The issue here is esim on PREPAID OR PAY AS GO. It’s not available but 99.99% of Carries worldwide

 

[NightFox]

What’s the difference between people activating new sims in new iPhones and people activating eSims upon new iPhone setup every year?

Absolutely no difference at all.

No, but we're not on about new SIMs, we're talking about transferring an existing SIM from an old iPhone to a new one. With a physical SIM, I remove it from my iPhone xx, insert it into my shiny new iPhone 14 and I'm ready to go. With an eSIM, I need to already have a QR code for a brand new eSIM available to scan into my new phone, then using my service provider's website I have to do a transfer from the eSIM on my old phone to the new one. That might be a straightforward process on a normal day, but on an iPhone launch day when their systems are already getting hammered and regularly crash? And that's assuming people have had the foresight to get a new eSIM QR code beforehand.

I know there's slight differences in the process between different carriers, but I think a lot of people already using eSIMs are going to be in for a nasty shock tomorrow.

 

[mikhaelj]

Hey, I am Turkish and if you have questions you can ask me. Btw, there are three carriers in Turkey and I guess all of them support it. If you have the budget Turkcell is the fastest and most reliable one but it is more expensive. TurkTelekom is slower but cheaper. Vodafone is somewhere between.

Not for prepaid plans.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Presumably now you have iOS 16 you can simply go to Settings | Mobile Data | Convert to esim, without bothering the T-Mobile website.

Nothing like that in iOS 16 for me. I’m on T-Mobile and an iPhone 13 Pro.

Edit: “If you don't see Convert to eSIM, your carrier doesn't support this option” (from Apple). I’m sure T-Mobile will catch up with the change and enable this option but who knows when that will be? iOS 16 has only been out for a few days so it will take some time.

 

[atomic.flip]

Exactly, I guess this only makes sense to people who really plan every detail for their trip in advance. Everyone else is going to fly to destination X, pick up a SIM card at the airport / any local store (even grocery stores) and buy a SIM card. I have never really came across a store that is just selling you a esim. How would that even work? A wrapped piece of plastic with a QR code on it? If anything, you would have to do it online, again how do you do that without internet?

Funny thing is T-mobile is supposed to offer these plastic cards with QR codes on them. Though in the 18 years I’ve used their service I have yet to see one of these magical cards in real life. Most of the time they just “work it out” with you over the phone or at their console in the store.

Bottom line is Apple should be confirming to standards not trying to impose them on others by usurping the market. They did this with music via iTunes initially and have continued that trend in any market they have a lead in. It’s an aggressive approach and not at all consumer or competitor friendly.

And before anyone starts to go on about how they should be aggressive with competitors remember that for every bit of market innovation that is stifled by monopolists that removes opportunities for you to both find employment and make personal purchase decisions. It’s a greedy and short sighted approach.

 

[atomic.flip]

I am assuming that T-Mobile iPhone are unlocked -- am I wrong?

No. The subsidized phones are locked. You must purchase the phone at full price to hope to have it unlocked.

 

[neuropsychguy]

“Just buy your mom an iPhone” - Tim Cook, 2022.

My mom is capable of buying her own iPhone, no need for me to do it for her!

 

[atomic.flip]

Nothing like that in iOS 16 for me. I’m on T-Mobile and an iPhone 13 Pro.

Same here. I don’t see any option to “convert a physical sim to eSIM” for either Verizon or T-mobile on iPhone 13 Pro Max and iOS 16.

 

[ian87w]

It’s quite frankly a power play like so many other decisions by Apple as of late. And really if you think about it it’s essentially the same culture they’ve always had in many respects.

That said, eSIMs can be quite convenient and they can also be cumbersome and restrictive. Removing the “option” to use both is of absolutely no benefit to the consumer in any way. Choices are essential to free market economies. Removing them limits competition.

Frankly I could see a very viable and valid class action being filed against Apple for their unilateral decision to remove the physical SIM option as it compels both network operators and consumers to conform to their standards rather than the other way around.

Apple would be fine to offer such a product as an alternative (maybe at a slightly reduced cost) but to limit availability by market entirely and for such a large market at that… well it’s rather arrogant and utterly self serving not to mention stifling.

This genuinely gives me pause about supporting the purchase of a newer device if that is how it will be restricted.

eSIM is not Apple's "standard." It's a spec defined by the GSMA. And Apple is not the first with eSIM only phone. The first RAZR foldable was eSIM only. I don't remember people were complaining much back then. Besides, Apple is still selling iPhones with SIM tray.

Can Apple do better? Of course. I want Apple to set up a dashboard on their carrier partners' readiness. Transparency is needed to weed out carriers with ill intent to make the eSIM experience worse than it should've. Just giving a list like what Apple did is not useful, as Apple did not even indicate which carriers that only offer eSIM for postpaid only.

 

[Pezimak]

International ones already are. This is a clear warning to them that they either get on board or they may no longer be an Apple partner in the future.

If you get a sim in your local country to use abroad, it is by far the most expensive way of doing it. That’s why everyone uses sims, they pick up a local cheap sim when they get out there destination. As for the claim they won’t be ‘Apple partners’, fine, let’s see how well the iPhone does with carriers not supporting it. I and I know many many many others would just not buy an iPhone if it meant you had to change carriers. Not a chance. Plus their is always the older models to choose from anyway.
Sorry but if you think this move will have any impact outside the US you are wrong, some are laughably claiming next year Apple will make all iPhones esim, great, watch those iPhone sales drop in response.

 

[laptech]

.......

That's a nice conspiracy theory, at least

Why do you say conspiracy theory? It is a well known fact that over the years companies working in same field of business have worked together to manipulate prices so they are kept artifically high. Why should it be no different with the network carriers?

 

[Pezimak]

eSIM is not Apple's "standard." It's a spec defined by the GSMA. And Apple is not the first with eSIM only phone. The first RAZR foldable was eSIM only. I don't remember people were complaining much back then. Besides, Apple is still selling iPhones with SIM tray.

Can Apple do better? Of course. I want Apple to set up a dashboard on their carrier partners' readiness. Transparency is needed to weed out carriers with ill intent to make the eSIM experience worse than it should've. Just giving a list like what Apple did is not useful, as Apple did not even indicate which carriers that only offer eSIM for postpaid only.

Apple sits on the board who define sim standards, so it is Apples standards to an effect.

 

[fakestrawberryflavor]

When does Apple try to step into a carrier role?

Now here’s someone asking the right questions

 

[Shivamke91]

My wife and I just backpacked across Europe for 1 month and we used Holafly esim. Couldn’t be easier. Had great speeds everywhere and very cost effective.

 

[mikhaelj]

Useless article apple. How about come clean in that “helpful page” and say majority of esim on pre paid or pay as you go is not available yet with most Carriers international but “we at apple think” it will be in 3-5 years.

 

[HMFIC03]

And yet here in Hong Kong I can't buy an iPhone that supports eSim.

We only do dual physical (nano) SIMs in China.

Madness.

Just wait, china will be stealing all proprietary methods and implementing soon, but with additional spy ware.

 

[NightFox]

Apple has done this before, with headphone jacks, optical drives, 30-pin connectors, Flash, floppy drives, etc. They were right every time,

I agree with your sentiments, but it's kind of self-fulfilling. Apple has enough influence that in many of these cases they're not predicting the future, they're dictating it - or maybe hastening it on their own terms.

 

[Feyl]

No, I get what you meant. The question is, how is eSIM worse than a regular SIM when it comes to privacy?

Oh.. from what I've read there is some additional information about you stored somewhere in the cloud and you can't just go and buy it and activate it without any information about you like you can with regular SIM. There's probably more and I'll definitely research it.

 

[atomic.flip]

Apple sits on the board who define sim standards, so it is Apples standards to an effect.

Indeed. The eSIM is a departure from GSM’s standards endorsing portability. (I’m not claiming that they literally endorse it but it is very obviously implied in both design and implementation.)

 

[ian87w]

Of course you would say this, youre from SF, CA. Have you left the US mainland? Do you even travel internationally at all? Try getting an eSIM when traveling internationally for a pay as you go or pre paid plan, because that's the only plan you are eligible being NOT A NATIONAL of the country you're visiting and come back tell me how it easy it is.

Come on, enough of this traveling excuses. If you are an avid traveler and know you will need physical SIM slot, why would you torture yourself by buying an eSIM only iPhone? An avid traveler would've been wiser, and either import a non-US iPhone 14, or use any other phones (all iPhones prior to the 14 still have SIM slots).

For the lay people, they would just use any of the global eSIM providers and move on. You can argue about the cost, but a lay user that rarely travels wouldn't be bothered with that details in the first place. Many people are still opting for roaming through their respective home carriers, even before eSIM existed.

The biggest annoyance about eSIM is actually from iPhone users in countries like mine, where we paid premium price for a dual SIM capable (nano+eSIM) iPhone that is practically a single SIM device since majority of our carriers don't support eSIM. If Apple's decision hasten the carriers to support eSIM, it's good news for us.