Apple Removes SIM Card Tray on All iPhone 14 Models in U.S.

[Nitrokevin]

I thought most Americans never leave the country anyway so no big deal about the eSim

 

[D_D]

I do relief work in “developing nations”. My post was actually referring to the Philippines. However, it seems Globe does now offer eSIM support but only with postpaid plans.

Airalo offer prepaid data esims for use in the Philippines.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Even the Canadian model still has physical SIM, interesting.

Just checked, all Canadian models still have SIM tray. Dodged a bullet. It could also provide an alternative buying option for those in the U.S.

So we're gonna have to buy an imported unlocked iPhone just to be able to use it. Fantastic.

This goes beyond losing the Headphone Jack. As stupid as that courage change was at least we got dongles for that. eSIM though? What are we supposed to do with that?! Most carriers don't even support it and 90% of people still use SIM cards. I'm on a grandfathered plan that's cheaper than the eSIM plans, so no way I would switch.

Wow. Just wow. What the hell Apple? No really, what the hell.

 

[ian87w]

I'd like to know how can Apple store 8-12 eSIM profiles. And you wonder how many carriers in Europe support eSIM.

It's digital. It's just like storing multiple files on your storage. That's the beauty of eSIM.

 

[ryanmp]

They’re data-only plans.

Exactly. So many jump on here on bang on about the global eSIM provides. They are great, but really not practical for many travel situations.... e.g. need a local number to actually talk to people, high data usage etc.

I just went to the UK for 3 weeks. Bought a 15 pound EE pre-paid sim card. Unlimited talk, text and 25GB of data. Only option was to use a physical SIM.

 

[jimmysalg]

Big disappointment in my view and could make me avoid upgrading.. Can't stand paying for activation fees

Even with the current iPhone 13 you can transfer your eSIM to another phone, without having to use the carrier.

 

[Ferc Kast]

I feel like it’s a rhetorical question; but does this included the unlocked models?

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Some will, but not all.

I mean Sony still has the headphone jack on their flagship. So not all Android manufacturers will drop the SIM

Hell dropping SIM trays and being eSIM only would be suicide in Android dominated markets since those regions barely support eSIM.

 

[ian87w]

I do relief work in “developing nations”. My post was actually referring to the Philippines. However, it seems Globe does now offer eSIM support but only with postpaid plans.

Yeah, that's the sad part. Many of those carriers with eSIM support are only on post paid.

 

[just!ns]

Is this ONLY in the US? What about Canada getting the SIM card version?

Apple.ca says 14 pro supports nano-sim: https://www.apple.com/ca/iphone-14-pro/specs/

 

[xpaulso]

Talk about a missed opportunity to upsell the pro. Sell the 14 with no SIM slot and the Pro with a SIM slot. This seems like a serious misstep.

 

[beerseagulls]

So now you will be issued 8 to 12 eSIM's The iPhone has the capability to store multiple eSIM profiles.

This is such a non-issue.

already asked the IT dept guy in charge of issuing overseas SIM cards. Some of the countries that we travel to do not have eSIM yet. Two that do have eSIM will not activate it for foreign nationals who are on visitor's visas. One additional one still(as of Sept 1) still requires all foreign nationals entering the country to use a physical SIM card for COVID quarantine/tracking purposes. (these are EU, non-EU and a few Asian countries)

 

[Billistan]

Same question here (for my wife and I). I'm hoping I can just do it over the phone or something, I don't want to have to go into the store for that.

Up until recently it was very easy to do over the phone. Unfortunately because of all the sim swapping hacks (involving millions of dollars in losses) carriers are far more reluctant to swap sims easily and not in person. It’s probably still doable but a warning that it’s getting harder.

 

[oopl]

So Americans will have to buy iPhones from Canada if they want a sim card slot.
The U.S. models will be the inferior ones.

 

[D_D]

Major pain in the A$$. So every time I need to switch a phone number for one reason or another (which is every few weeks), I need to call the particular provider to switch over (and be placed on hold forever). Plus as people have mentioned, you lose ALL privacy as soon as you switch to eSIM. With a physical card, you don't need to give any info to the provider in most cases - just install and activate without talking to anyone.

I’m genuinely interested what kind of privacy a physical sim offers over an esim?

Every physical SIM you put into a phone reports back a fair bit of information about the handset it is plugged into back to the carrier. IMEI, phone brand, model, etc…

 

[trekkie604]

Could be the last model with it so get it while you can.

Hopefully not. I have esims from Rogers and Telus in my work phone. Both QR codes are one time use and they charge you $25 for a new one and it's printed on the same shaped plastic card as a regular sim. So much for saving the environment.

 

[ian87w]

A phone without a SIM tray is complete trash. There is no easier way of switching the number than switching the SIM card.

There is no danger that someone else could steal your phone and use it with his own SIM unless he has exactly the same face as you.

Huh? A physical SIM is less secure. A thief can simply take it out and put it in his own phone and misuse the number (for OTPs, etc). eSIM is safer as there's no way for a thief to take it out. And if he wanted to use his own SIM, there are Apple's built-in security to deal with (activation lock).

 

[ian87w]

I thought most Americans never leave the country anyway so no big deal about the eSim

Generally true. It does sucks for some who do.

 

[deathcab]

Back to the dark ages. I remember when Verizon finally adopted SIM cards and I was ecstatic. Calling to activate was the biggest pain in the rear. And it didn’t even work some of the time.

DOA for me.

Too damn bad.

This is a gift to the cell phone carriers. Now you have to pay them outrageous rates for roaming instead of getting a cheap local SIM. Now, how long until they start charging to swap eSIMs to a new device since you now have no other option?

I guess this move took courage.

Get ready to re-live the glory days of mandatory carrier fees to change devices.

 

[bradl]

Lol, what are Americans going to do when traveling overseas? Just get gouged on phone usage? This is a terrible move.

And prepaid sims? I don’t think those are available as esims from most US carriers.

MVNOs already support eSIM, and depending on where the person is going, the overseas carriers support eSIM as well. One should look for the carriers in the country they are going to before saying that it can't be supported.

BL.

 

[D_D]

They’re data-only plans.

Point is that the infrastructure is already in place with these carriers, it won’t be as big of a leap as you might think to expand this to include voice plans.

 

[ian87w]

So Americans will have to buy iPhones from Canada if they want a sim card slot.

Or pretty much any other country, since US doesn't have restrictions in using foreign phones as long as it's unlocked.
I can see Hong Kong version will be in even higher demand.

 

[ingambe]

already asked the IT dept guy in charge of issuing overseas SIM cards. Some of the countries that we travel to do not have eSIM yet. Two that do have eSIM will not activate it for foreign nationals who are on visitor's visas. One additional one still(as of Sept 1) still requires all foreign nationals entering the country to use a physical SIM card for COVID quarantine/tracking purposes. (these are EU, non-EU and a few Asian countries)

While I agree it can be pretty inconvenient today, the market will adapt as it always does
Sim resellers will start to issue esim and as the iPhone 15 will probably not have a sim tray for each any market, esim will become the norm

Removing the physical sim is the logical next step; that's more space for other components and less moving parts

 

[spar7y]

I was about to order iPhone 14 pro max, new Watch and Airpods Pro. Now without a physical slot I do not order any of them. I travel a lot.
May be you have different opinion, but for me Apple is over. i switch to Galaxy S23 , hope they in Samsung have brain not to follow Apple.

byeeeee

 

[ian87w]

So Americans will have to buy iPhones from Canada if they want a sim card slot.
The U.S. models will be the inferior ones.

And realize how much more expensive iPhones are outside the US...