iPhone 14 With eSIM Only Will Likely Be Optional Model, Says Analyst

[HiVolt]

Same. This whole eSim sounds too complicated. Give me my Sim Tray and im good.

I just don't know why it's necessary to completely remove it. I don't think they'll gain much space from it since the SIM reader resides on the logic board and not elsewhere.

New phones already support 2 eSIM numbers, so just let us have the physical SIM for a few more years at least.

I remember it used to be a pain to switch phones back in the day of the CDMA. I've been liberated from that for 20 years with SIM cards.

My brother just had an issue with his iPhone 11 last week. Boom swapped it out to an old 6s to get him by until the 11 is fixed. That convenience will go away.

 

[bigboy29]

It seems that in the US at least, prepaid is the biggest hurdle to eSIM adoption.

Visible also supports eSIM. But you are not wrong; most MNVOs do not support eSIM.

 

[Denzo]

I like the option to use an eSim but certainly wouldn't want to be bound by it.

Imagine the control apple and the carriers would have.

No thanks.

 

[Sin_sniper468]

As someone who used to work for Apple, E-Sim was the worst!

Repair / replacing the device. You’d have to go to your carrier to get it activated.

 

[sw1tcher]

I want a physical SIM still. At least until more carriers support eSIM in countries I go to. Maybe within the next 2 or 3 years?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I just don't know why it's necessary to completely remove it. I don't think they'll gain much space from it since the SIM reader resides on the logic board and not elsewhere.

New phones already support 2 eSIM numbers, so just let us have the physical SIM for a few more years at least.

I remember it used to be a pain to switch phones back in the day of the CDMA. I've been liberated from that for 20 years with SIM cards.

My brother just had an issue with his iPhone 11 last week. Boom swapped it out to an old 6s to get him by until the 11 is fixed. That convenience

That's one

will go away.

100% agree with you. Apple is just trying to save money. Imagine how much money they will save when they don’t have to create Sim Tray anymore.

 

[imnotthewalrus]

As someone who used to work for Apple, E-Sim was the worst!

Repair / replacing the device. You’d have to go to your carrier to get it activated.

Same here. TERRIBLE experience for the customer!

 

[iKrivetko]

Finally.

 

[d686546s]

In theory eSIM is something that could make life a lot easier if done consumer-friendly. Have an App Store of sorts for carrier profiles (without Apple tax of course), download when you need, log in, there you go. Could be great for travelling.

However, I don't trust the global carriers one but that this is how it's going to be. I've read up on eSIM with two carriers here in Europe and each required physical attendance in store to get a QR code to activate and these codes, of course, were not reusable.

I'm sticking to a regular SIM for now until I can see an actual benefit. For now it seems like a hassle for nothing.

 

[gregmancuso]

This is not just a technology decision. Businesses need to support this as well. For example, my work line is paid via a company-owned Verizon phone plan with several thousand numbers. My personal line is with T-Mobile. I can control my t-Mo number and assign that to an eSIM. My company does not allow me to have full control over m number, obviously, and does not authorize Verizon to provision eSIM for our numbers. In order to upgrade to a newer iPhone I would need a nano sSIM slot.Or go back to carrying two phones, which is not the option I would prefer.

I cannot believe that my situation is that unique and Apple is likely looking at the business landscape for this eventual change. I can definitely see that value in going all eSIM but business policies need to catch up to the technology.

 

[imnotthewalrus]

That's one



100% agree with you. Apple is just trying to save money. Imagine how much money they will save when they don’t have to create Sim Tray anymore.

I’m confused which side of the fence you’re on…and Sim Card trays cost Apple about a dollar per silo 😂😂😂

 

[alexandr]

I want a physical SIM still. At least until more carriers support eSIM in countries I go to. Maybe within the next 2 or 3 years?

same here. but the option to use dual e-sim is already here, so everyone should be happy.

 

[sw1tcher]

So all US carriers support esim?

I’m on AT&T Prepaid and have an esim. Mint also allows esim: https://www.mintmobile.com/esim/

Not all.

The majors (AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile) do, but many of the MVNOs, even the MVNO brands owned by the majors like AT&T's Cricket Wireless, T-Mobile's MetroPCS/Metro By T-Mobile, and Verizon's recently acquired Tracfone and Total Wireless, do not.

 

[doolar]

Seeing that most people do not lock their SIM (using a SIM PIN, because it is PITA) - eSIM is definitely a benefit. Most folks do not realize how disasterous a loss of SIM is: if you lose your phone you lost both the phone AND your phone number (and with a physical SIM it is trivial to pop that into a different device and start attacking your 2 factor things).

Absolutely, however I can disable any SIM card, physical or not, immediately online with my carrier. Log in, disable, done.

But I welcome esim, one less port means benefits elsewhere. Courage! ?

 

[RafMac]

This is not going to work when you travel to countries that don't support esim, so your iPhone will be useless. I like to travel and get local sim card with local number, so dual version has been fine for me. Eliminating will be too confusing, slow down apple, stop nickel and diming by removing physical trays. Thinner iPhone isn't always better.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I’m confused which side of the fence you’re on…and Sim Card trays cost Apple about a dollar per silo 😂😂😂

Sim Card Trays forever. I’m not a fan of eSim.

 

[apparatchik]

E-sim only is not happening.

It scales the supply chain too wide. A separate model, case, die set, manufacturing.

It doesn't work on the logistics end.

E-sim option for carriers works because you can ship the same model without having to differentiate between the two.

It leads up to incremental change, and once all the major carriers are e sim, then maybe you will see e-sim only phones. But not in the next 5 years. Until it's the world standard, people will still want phones with a sim card slot. Myself included.

There are already separate models in existence, Chinese iPhones have dual nano-Sim's and no eSim.

 

[Hippocrates1985]

from an experience T-Mobile does not support 2 e-SIM in one device. I was trying to use 2 different phone numbers on one device but make them as e-Sim and use a physical sim for another provider. T-Mobile has told me they need to catch up with Apple and they are behind to support that.

 

[sw1tcher]

Let me guess, iPhone with E-Sim Lock for 24 months but a cheaper price incoming

If Verizon does that, it would run afoul of the FCC requirement that their phones be auto unlocked after 60 days.

That's why the U.S. needs to ban carrier locked phones, ASAP.

The US Could Soon Ban the Selling of Carrier-Locked Phones

Carrier lock-in was recently prohibited in the UK. If it finally happens here next year too, consumer advocates say the move would give users more flexibility and choice.

www.wired.com

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Apple could pitch it as saving the world for plastic SIM card waste ( throw away electronics are bad. but buy a new iPhone every 2-3 years. ) . And don't have to put that Sim-card-tray-poker in the box.

It is more along the lines of dropping CD/DVD players and floppies from Macs. In part, it will be pitched as "you won't miss it". The default would be to just give folks the sim-less phone and the sim card model would be a special order for those out of the "norm" usages for them.

Some people switch sim cards multiple times a year and some folks never touch it for the lifetime they have the phone. Those folks this is a "big deal". But probably for a large number of folks it is a non issue. (so why do they need a sim-card version is as equally applicable viewpoint. It is a non factor so Apple doesn't need to 'sell' it as a feature. )


There is some security case upgrades in not having a SIM that someone could steal ( yes, can put a lock on the SIM but not a common practice. )



All that said it seems rather pre-mature. Apple eSIM support list in the USA doesn't have many MVNO.

Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service on iPhone - Apple Support

An eSIM is a digital SIM that allows you to activate a mobile data plan from your network provider without having to use a physical nano-SIM. Find out which wireless carriers in your country or region offer cellular plans on an eSIM, either activated by eSIM Carrier Activation, eSIM Quick...

support.apple.com

Most of the super discount / low cost carriers aren't on the list. Those folks have zero relationship with the Apple store so perhaps makes sense there. But elsewhere, it actually helps with "vendor lock-in" for the major carriers if they are the only ones offering it. ( e.g. quit expensive major to save money ... ooops phone not compatible with that network so can't go.)

Do you have any idea if I can use dual sim with 2 esims or does it have to be 1 physical + 1 esim? I have an XS Max.

edit: Nevermind, answered my own question. Only possible on an iPhone 13. In that case I have no issues with removing the sim slot. Assuming all the carriers get on board. I'll continue to use physical sim until I get an iPhone 13 or later though to make sure I am not losing the ability to to dual sim.

 

[an_apple.a.day]

sim tray is an egress point for water entry as well that without the internal assembly for the tray and connector housing you can make room for a larger battery. i’m for it.

 

[CrzySxyCl]

Why would anyone buy it if there's no benefit over the sim version? Even if you prefer esim, there's no reason not to a sim slot unless Apple will do something with the space.

Agreed. And people don’t think about the downfall of not getting the two factor code on a phone with a broken screen. Putting your sim in another device will get the code so you can get back in your own account. You won’t have that ability on an eSim only device. I hope eSim stays optional.

 

[brofkand]

I’m on AT&T Prepaid and have an esim. Mint also allows esim: https://www.mintmobile.com/esim/

Yes some prepaid carriers do support eSIM but many don't, I am on Cricket and can't do eSIM. Likewise Total Wireless, Boost Mobile, etc., none of them support eSIM. I'd say the list of prepaids that support eSIM is shorter than the list of those that don't.

 

[4jasontv]

Agreed. And people don’t think about the downfall of not getting the two factor code on a phone with a broken screen. Putting your sim in another device will get the code so you can get back in your own account. You won’t have that ability on an eSim only device. I hope eSim stays optional.

I don't understand the issue. Most people replace the device when their screen breaks. If you have an old iPhone that you intend to sim swap to, you also have an iPhone to activate.

 

[4jasontv]

This is not just a technology decision. Businesses need to support this as well. For example, my work line is paid via a company-owned Verizon phone plan with several thousand numbers. My personal line is with T-Mobile. I can control my t-Mo number and assign that to an eSIM. My company does not allow me to have full control over m number, obviously, and does not authorize Verizon to provision eSIM for our numbers. In order to upgrade to a newer iPhone I would need a nano sSIM slot.Or go back to carrying two phones, which is not the option I would prefer.

I cannot believe that my situation is that unique and Apple is likely looking at the business landscape for this eventual change. I can definitely see that value in going all eSIM but business policies need to catch up to the technology.

This doesn't make any sense to me. If I want to control an employee's line I would want it tied to an eSIM to stop SIM swapping. A company wants to know they can manage remote access to sensitive data. In the event that they need to quickly end a relationship with an employee performing a remote reset is far more reliable with eSIM.