Apple wants to get everyone used to no SIM so they have to rip the bandaid off. Eventually they will use the space but they can’t now due to the global models using SIM. AT&T and other carriers don’t really care, they just support the iPhone. If anything the carriers should want you to keep a physical SIM because it’s harder to change providers with a physical SIM, you have to go to a store or have a SIM mailed to you but you can sign up for eSIMs online/in an app.
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iPhone 14 Pro Max Teardown Provides Closer Look at Unused SIM Tray Area on U.S. Model and More
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Removing SIM tray on US models is an absolute BONEHEAD move by Apple.
I frequently travel to countries where eSIM is NOT available, especially for shorter term, pre-paid plans.
And as many others have commented here and on other forums, activating eSIM here in the US is still problematic.
Had Apple used the space for something else that would partly justify the removal. But as it is, even though I am on the iPhone Upgrade Program and eligible for the 14 Pro, I am unable to upgrade as I need the SIM tray.
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.
I frequently travel to countries where eSIM is NOT available, especially for shorter term, pre-paid plans.
And as many others have commented here and on other forums, activating eSIM here in the US is still problematic.
Had Apple used the space for something else that would partly justify the removal. But as it is, even though I am on the iPhone Upgrade Program and eligible for the 14 Pro, I am unable to upgrade as I need the SIM tray.
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.
YMMV…
I have read of providers mailing QR codes to you… other people having to go to a physical store with ID in hand to get ported to an e-sim.
Lots of teething problems right now.
Agree with all this.
No way I am buying an e-sim only iPhone until there is suitable global coverage.
Not to ”beat a dead horse“ but no physical SIM card in the US model has left my small business at a loss. We do extensive relief work in developing nations where there remains no e-SIM option or is only available to monthly contract customers. This doesn’t work for us.
I spoke with an Apple business representative that seemed perplexed as if these issues had never crossed her mind. She ended up recommending we have a friend order from a Canadian Apple store. i can’t run a business like that. It‘s not like I can rush developing nations to change faster. What am I supposed to do moving forward?
I spoke with an Apple business representative that seemed perplexed as if these issues had never crossed her mind. She ended up recommending we have a friend order from a Canadian Apple store. i can’t run a business like that. It‘s not like I can rush developing nations to change faster. What am I supposed to do moving forward?
This entire manoeuvre is about future revenue generation. When you remove the ability for customers to independently choose their carrier through SIM card, you force them down the path of Apple-sanctioned eSIM to operate the handset. Apple will force the carrier to pay a transaction fee for that. One of the pillars of Apple's business model is tight control of the ecosystem disguised as benefit to partners and customers.
OK, considering Apple's goal is clearly to get rid of all physical sims eventually, let's look at the options from their perspective (not the perspective of the market or carriers):
1) Ditch physical sim worldwide. This would not have been good for obvious reasons--too much hurt sales, many countries still rely on them.
2) Keep them on all models. This would not move the needle enough, even if they pushed carriers more to move away (it's what they've been doing for a while).
3) Ditch on some models and have separate internal designs. This would cost more for design/production, and would anger the market since the phones would have different performance specs (assuming a battery size increase or better thermal management would take the place of the sim).
4) Do what they did and have a placeholder until they can go fully sim-free. This retains consistent specs, pushes the market forward, but still angers people who think there is wasted space or would still prefer a phys sim (and, like with the headphone jack, they clearly don't care about angering these types of people).
It's frustrating but totally logical. Only other option would have been to warn people more in advance, or wait another year or two.
1) Ditch physical sim worldwide. This would not have been good for obvious reasons--too much hurt sales, many countries still rely on them.
2) Keep them on all models. This would not move the needle enough, even if they pushed carriers more to move away (it's what they've been doing for a while).
3) Ditch on some models and have separate internal designs. This would cost more for design/production, and would anger the market since the phones would have different performance specs (assuming a battery size increase or better thermal management would take the place of the sim).
4) Do what they did and have a placeholder until they can go fully sim-free. This retains consistent specs, pushes the market forward, but still angers people who think there is wasted space or would still prefer a phys sim (and, like with the headphone jack, they clearly don't care about angering these types of people).
It's frustrating but totally logical. Only other option would have been to warn people more in advance, or wait another year or two.
Actually, there is support for 8 eSIMs and dual active eSIMs.
All MNVOs I've checked in the U.S., including the one I use at the moment, all have had eSim support for a while. What you might be confusing eSim support with is the eSIM Quick Transfer. My transfer was instead done in the MNVO's own app and took less than a minute to generate a new eSim, invalidate the old Sim, and add the new eSim to my phone.
Edit:
For anyone who is curious:
Carriers with eSim Support in U.S., as listed by Apple:
- Appalachian Wireless
- AT&T
- Boost Mobile
- Carolina West Wireless
- Cellcom
- Chat Mobility
- Consumer Cellular
- Copper Valley Telecom
- Credo Mobile
- Cricket
- C Spire
- FirstNet
- GCI
- H2O Wireless
- Metro by T-Mobile
- Mint Mobile
- Nemont
- Nex-Tech Wireless
- NorthwestCell
- Optimum Mobile
- Pioneer Wireless
- PTCI
- PureTalk
- Red Pocket
- Republic
- Spectrum Mobile
- Straight Talk
- Strata
- Thumb Cellular
- T-Mobile USA
- Tracfone
- Truphone
- Ubigi
- Union Wireless
- United Wireless
- US Cellular
- Verizon Wireless
- Visible
- West Central Wireless
- Xfinity Mobile
I'm surprised there's not a special antenna for the satellite, that would be nice if I could use directional Wi-Fi to reach distant connectivity.
On the right side below the side button you can see there's a slug on the metal where the sim tray goes. Ugh they should've just put the sim tray in or micro sd or usb 4 slot.
There is a new mmWave antenna on the very top of the logic board for satellite.
It actually does serve a purpose. It’s a spacer to help fill the gap from the display panel.
They could finally add an SD card slot. Courage!
It'll be used for a SIM card. ESIMs barely exist outside the US. Apple won't be able to drop the slot for a very, very long time.
Yes. It’s to help fill the space under the display panel.
Quite the opposite I would imagine. Since Apple decided a majority of iPhones this generation will have a SIM tray, it's cheaper to design around its existence rather than have a different board design and tooling for the edge piece.
As soon as I read the title I knew people would jump on conclusions and forget to see a liiiiitle past their nose.
My guess is they wanted to try to go sim-free this year but in case the sales become catastrophic re-integrate the sim tray without needing to revert to an older design.
If everything goes well, in a couple of years maximum, they will bring a new design that will appropriately take advantage of the missing sim tray
Now they can charge activation fees again like they could with ESNs on Analog & CDMA devices! w00t w00t!
Great for you!
Here in the UK…
EE
O2
Vodafone
BT (But only if you are a business user)
None of the above available as Pay As You Go either.
Also, none of the MVNOs do.
No Plusnet, Smarty, GiffGaff, Tesco, Asda… on and on…
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My speculation is that the pre-emptive removal of the SIM card this year in the US was done as a sharp signal to providers in other countries to get on the e-SIM train within the next year. That space is gonna be going away eventually.