Apple Reportedly Plans to Remove iPhone's SIM Card Tray in More Countries Next Year

[MacRumors]

Apple is planning to remove the physical SIM card tray on iPhones in more countries next year, The Information said today, in a report focused on the ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air." However, the report did not mention any specific countries.

In the U.S., all iPhone 14 through iPhone 16 models do not have a SIM card tray, and instead rely entirely on digital eSIM technology. Apple has yet to release any iPhones without a SIM card tray outside of the U.S., but it sounds like the change will finally expand internationally starting with the iPhone 17 lineup next September.

Indeed, the report said that all current "iPhone 17 Air" prototypes lack a SIM card tray. The report said it is unclear if the device will be sold in China as a result, since the country has not approved the use of eSIMs in smartphones. Of course, that could change.

When the iPhone 14 series launched in 2022, Apple promoted eSIMs as being more secure than a physical SIM, 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 physical SIM cards while traveling.

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

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Plans to Remove iPhone's SIM Card Tray in More Countries Next Year

 

[DMG35]

I thought this would be a bid deal but honestly for me it really hasn’t been. eSIM has been really good. But for people that travel internationally frequently I can see this being a big pain.

 

[Havalo]

Well that's really going to entice a lot of people :/

 

[Adora]

I they do it in my country there will be no new iPhone for me anymore. I have some "anonymous" SIM cards and my main SIM card is a very old prepaid one that will never have that option I think.

 

[profets]

In Canada I've had good experience moving eSIM from one device to another, same when I've helped family members upgrade the past few years.

I don't mind this change, but still will feel odd losing physical control to just swap out a SIM if needed.

 

[Radeon85]

Stopped using a physical SIM years ago, so no issue for me. They removed the SIM slot on the Mini 7 this year, so that was a sign of things to come.

I prefer the eSIM anyway as someone can't steal your phone, pop out the SIM and insert it into a random phone, plus setting up a new device is easy these days as it transfers the eSIM over and deletes it from the old phone automatically.

 

[Jonf1979]

This will be a pain in the backside in the UK, where a lot of the virtual networks or pay as you go contracts do not offer e-sims

 

[alexandr]

I thought this would be a bid deal but honestly for me it really hasn’t been. eSIM has been really good. But for people that travel internationally frequently I can see this being a big pain.

People who travel internationally can also take advantage of eSim, in fact — they can set it up before embarking on their trip.

 

[alexandr]

Perhaps this can light a fire under some slow providers, as I'm sure they won't want people to leave them for those who offer eSim.

 

[contacos]

Personally I wouldn't need it but I usually put my sim from work into my private phone, so I don't have to carry two phones all the time. This would suck.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

Absolutely ridiculous.

Hopefully the EU will at least outlaw eSIM-only phones so I'll have some way to get an iPhone worth owning, even if I have to go farther than Canada to get it.

 

[alexandr]

Absolutely ridiculous.

Hopefully the EU will at least outlaw eSIM-only phones so I'll have some way to get an iPhone worth owning, even if I have to go farther than Canada to get it.

The EU is behind you, my guy!

 

[Aleh]

Good. Physicals SIMs are a thing of the past. EVERY feature they offer can be replicated digitally. And carriers need to wake up and support them.

 

[jdavid_rp]

It would be enticing if they improved something in the only eSIM iPhones in the past instead of just having some plastic piece inside.

 

[andiwm2003]

I have an old sim in another country with an old phone number that I use whenever i travel there. That plan will most likely never be available as esim and that means i likely lose the number too. Also, I liked to have the option to go to a shop somewhere in the world and just buy a sim and use the local phone/internet services. No you have to do it from the US or at the airport when you arrive.
And I used to put my work phone sim into my private phone when on vacation. That way i can still check work stuff without have to carry a second phone around.
Also, I have bad experiences with esims. I have a t-mobile contract (prepaid, USA) from years ago. I switched it to esim at some point about 5 years ago. Now there is no way to get the esim transferred to a new phone as its a prepaid plan. Tried several times to transfer it and neither their website, not their online chat, nor their experts and not their t-mobile shops can move the esim to anpother phone. So when that phone dies I lose the contract and with that the number. esims are stupid.

 

[DesertNomad]

I have a 25-year old Czech SIM that is prepaid and tied to banking with no easy way to turn it into an eSIM without visiting the Czech Republic. I'll probably just keep my iPhone SE 3 for a long time to enable this to continue working. I have used this number when I am in US-sanctioned countries like Cuba and Iran since the Czech Republic does not engage in any of that nonsense.

 

[Sherry Livingston]

I am already struggling a bit with the lack of two physical SIM card slots on the iPhone 13 Pro. (eSIM does not support a widely used authentication system used in my country.)

No physical SIM card slot at all … damn.

 

[kiranmk2]

This will be a pain in the backside in the UK, where a lot of the virtual networks or pay as you go contracts do not offer e-sims

This will be the kick up the backside to sort themselves out. It wouldn't surprise me if Apple gave carriers around the world a warning a few years that there would be a complete transition to e-sim by 2025. Any providers who don't provide e-sim compatibility will likely loose the custom of iPhone owners (a decent chunk of the total addressable market) over the next 2-3 years as people upgrade their phones to e-sim-only models.

 

[contacos]

Good. Physicals SIMs are a thing of the past. EVERY feature they offer can be replicated digitally. And carriers need to wake up and support them.

I don't think the IT of German companies is ready for this yet

 

[gegy]

I would like to see "eSim only" iphones in Austria too.

 

[gegy]

I don't think the IT of German companies is ready for this yet

Then they need a push. A push that apple often does.

 

[Radeon85]

Looking at when Apple introduced eSIM support on a phone, it was way back with the iPhone XS 6yrs ago!. If carriers haven't supported it after more than half a decade, then they deserve to lose business.

 

[Porco]

I hope the carriers continue to drag their feet on this and cause the slowest possible rollout of eSIM only iPhones. It’s anti-consumer, inconvenient and stupid.

Lemmings everywhere, celebrating the end of our choices.

 

[ChrisA]

This will be a pain in the backside in the UK, where a lot of the virtual networks or pay as you go contracts do not offer e-sims

Believe me, if new iPhones did not have SIM cards, these plans would offer eSims. They currently do not offer eSims because they don't have to.

 

[KrisLord]

Even whe.

This will be a pain in the backside in the UK, where a lot of the virtual networks or pay as you go contracts do not offer e-sims

Even when they do support eSIM, moving it between devices can be a pain.

I think only EE support moving an existing eSIM to a new device.

I’m somewhat hoping the push to support eSIM may also improve cellular options for Apple Watch.