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ThatiPhoneKid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2017
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i am going to be using my iPhone Xs just with using the new eSim, When I set up the phone will I still need to put a SIM card in to the phone to activate it? I heard with iOS 12 you no longer need to do this, is this correct?
 
I believe they said that the eSIM won’t be active at launch and not available until a software update at a later time. Once it is working, I assume that you can activate without a physical SIM with no problem.
 
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I believe they said that the eSIM won’t be active at launch and not available until a software update at a later time. Once it is working, I assume that you can activate without a physical SIM with no problem.

Yeah, I heard this, I’m going to wait until ESim has launched, I don’t want to activate my iPhone with a physical SIM card when I get it though, I want to just use my iPhone with wi Fi until they launch ESim, do you know how long until it’s launched and can I set up my new iPhone without using a SIM card with iOS 12, thanks for your help
 
Yeah, I heard this, I’m going to wait until ESim has launched, I don’t want to activate my iPhone with a physical SIM card when I get it though, I want to just use my iPhone with wi Fi until they launch ESim, do you know how long until it’s launched and can I set up my new iPhone without using a SIM card with iOS 12, thanks for your help

Just out of curiosity: why would you do this?? How is not having cellular service on your phone better than just using a regular physical sim?
 
Just out of curiosity: why would you do this?? How is not having cellular service on your phone better than just using a regular physical sim?
I mean, I don’t urgently need to use this phone to make phone calls, texts etc, if ESim is going to be launched soon then I will wait for it to be launched rather than having a physical SIM card in the phone
 
I mean, I don’t urgently need to use this phone to make phone calls, texts etc, if ESim is going to be launched soon then I will wait for it to be launched rather than having a physical SIM card in the phone
But why? Your reasoning doesn't Make sense. Oh... an you cannot setup an iPhone without a SIM.
14999389399576.jpg
 
But why? Your reasoning doesn't Make sense. Oh... an you cannot setup an iPhone without a SIM.
14999389399576.jpg

Thanks for your reply, I personally don’t need to use the phone to make phone calls and texts, I just want to use it until I can use ESim. I watched a YouTube video and it said with ios 12 they no longer needed to have a sim to activate the phone, I guess I can’t not use a sim with my new iPhone looking at the image provided, thanks for your help
 
and that is what makes the world go round! LOL.

I would bet eSim will not be available until next year sometimes. It is currently not supported by any of the US carriers and you can't bet none of them are in a hurry to support it.
 
i was not thinking that the new iPhones with eSIM capability could be set up based on just an eSIM contract, without having a physical SIM present.
 
and that is what makes the world go round! LOL.

I would bet eSim will not be available until next year sometimes. It is currently not supported by any of the US carriers and you can't bet none of them are in a hurry to support it.

EE supports ESim in the U.K.
 
i was not thinking that the new iPhones with eSIM capability could be set up based on just an eSIM contract, without having a physical SIM present.

Yes once it's fully supported by carriers that is exactly what you should be able to do. There would be no need to have a separate physical sim. I think Apple and other phone manufactures would like to just go fully eSim. However, currently it all really depends on Apple's implementation to try to get these carriers onboard. It likely that right now the initial service would have to be setup with a physical sim and then an add on second service would use the eSim. The eSim could only be used if you already have service. The carriers are fighting this though they don't want to make it easy for people to be able to switch at will.

The last I read about eSim's there really wasn't even a real standard yet, but maybe that has been done now that Apple has entered the fray.
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EE supports ESim in the U.K.

The question really boils down to will they support it without you already having a service setup using a nano-sim first?
 
and that is what makes the world go round! LOL.

I would bet eSim will not be available until next year sometimes. It is currently not supported by any of the US carriers and you can't bet none of them are in a hurry to support it.
Which US carrier supports Apple Watch LTE?

Those have eSIM support.
 
Which US carrier supports Apple Watch LTE?

Those have eSIM support.

From what I understand all the carriers support the Apple Watch, but again it's all in the implementation. The current implementation just basically replicates the info from your iPhone's current nano-sim and ports to the watch to give it service. But you can't have a separate phone number for your watch vs your phone. In order for them to support eSim in the iPhone they would be required to give a separate phone number for that eSim.

I think it's likely doable, but again they are fighting this because ultimately they fear the ease of which customers could switch to another carrier.
 
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Another reason I don’t like putting a physical sim in the iPhone is I always seem to scratch it with the sim ejector, especially with the stainless steel
 
Yes once it's fully supported by carriers that is exactly what you should be able to do. There would be no need to have a separate physical sim. I think Apple and other phone manufactures would like to just go fully eSim. However, currently it all really depends on Apple's implementation to try to get these carriers onboard. It likely that right now the initial service would have to be setup with a physical sim and then an add on second service would use the eSim. The eSim could only be used if you already have service. The carriers are fighting this though they don't want to make it easy for people to be able to switch at will.

The last I read about eSim's there really wasn't even a real standard yet, but maybe that has been done now that Apple has entered the fray.
[doublepost=1537084826][/doublepost]

The question really boils down to will they support it without you already having a service setup using a nano-sim first?

exactly, a physical SIM is probably needed still at this point to even set up the new 2018 iPhone models.

this would be a good time for a well backed MVNO that uses eSIM registration in the USA to make a marketing push with attractive low price service plans.
 
Thanks for your reply, I personally don’t need to use the phone to make phone calls and texts, I just want to use it until I can use ESim. I watched a YouTube video and it said with ios 12 they no longer needed to have a sim to activate the phone, I guess I can’t not use a sim with my new iPhone looking at the image provided, thanks for your help
Why not use your existing SIM card, and then move to esim once it's available? Is it really that much of a burden to put in a SIM card so you can actually use your phone to the fullest?

And even with esim, you will still be locked to T-Mobile only on Project Fi.
 
Spoke to Apple and told me I can set up my iPhone without a SIM card as long as I have WiFi so guessing with iOS 12 you no longer need a SIM card to set up an iPhone
 
An eSIM would be great for people who use two SIMs and now don't have to fuss with swapping out the SIM, ever. Just one less thing to do, one less component to lose.
 
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Spoke to Apple and told me I can set up my iPhone without a SIM card as long as I have WiFi so guessing with iOS 12 you no longer need a SIM card to set up an iPhone

You definitely can, even before iOS 12. I sell phones and it will give you an error saying the phone couldn’t activate but you can just bypass it and continue setting up the phone without activating as long as you’re on WiFi.
 
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I know it sounds stupid but the reason I don’t want to put a sim in the phone is because I don’t want to scratch the stainless steel
 
From what I understand all the carriers support the Apple Watch, but again it's all in the implementation. The current implementation just basically replicates the info from your iPhone's current nano-sim and ports to the watch to give it service. But you can't have a separate phone number for your watch vs your phone. In order for them to support eSim in the iPhone they would be required to give a separate phone number for that eSim.

I think it's likely doable, but again they are fighting this because ultimately they fear the ease of which customers could switch to another carrier.
My watch technically has a different phone. Inner associates to it. Shows as such in the bill too.
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I know it sounds stupid but the reason I don’t want to put a sim in the phone is because I don’t want to scratch the stainless steel
Just be careful about it? This doesn't seem to warrant having s phone without service for potentially many months but obviously to each their own.
 
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