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Sketchy Rumor Claims iPhone 15 Pro Won't Have Physical SIM Card Slot

jaytv111 said:
I think you should be able to get eSIMs in an app provided by your telco. Also there seems to be a way to setup an iPhone and transfer the eSIM during setup (when the old iPhone and new iPhone both have eSIMs). In theory we should just be able to sign into an app and then click “get eSIM” somewhere in the app then it will be provided. I haven’t tried that out on my iPhones, but I did that on my iPad, actually through regular settings and not a specific app.
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Yes, in theory it should be so simple. In reality, it can be a very disappointing and frustrating experience, as I had last night.

I have the Verizon app. I couldn't find any way to activate the new phone in the app (I did look because that seemed logical) and certainly none of the three different people I spoke with last night suggested doing anything in the app. There is a place in the Settings app of the iPhone where you can theoretically transfer service from another phone using eSIM but it told me that my carrier (Verizon, the largest in the United States) doesn't support that. Prior to speaking with an actual human being on the phone, the automated system sent me a link via text message to activate a new phone using the IMEI but that didn't work. Then three different humans couldn't get it to transfer either. Their advice was to go into the Verizon store but it was already 9:30pm by that point, so it will need to wait until after Christmas. We activated the service back on the old phone until next week when I'll stop by the store, but what's going to be any different at the store? I have no idea.
 
kognos said:
Courage!

But really, eSIMs are better in a lot of ways, the biggest problem is that the carriers support it HORRIBLY.

If the carriers supported it better this would be a non issue. So I sincerely hope this is an Apple maneuver to get the carriers to Do Better.
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My spouse has a work account on Verizon, and a personal account on AT&T. I purchased, through the Apple Store a iPhone 13 with an AT&T deal that gave about $800.00 credit towards future AT&T bills. After purchase, and trying to set up the work phone number we were advised at the AT&T store (they figured it out during set-up) That you had to pay off the phone completely (unlock it) so you could host a second non AT&T phone number.

We had already paid for a bunch of accessories at the AT&T store, and elsewhere. She in now stuck with an old Xs that is fully paid of so can have two phone number on the same phone.

Neither the Apple Store, or the AT&T store actually knew this caveat.

To the point of the thread, would an eSim fix this issue?
 
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Yeah, I remember the 14 didn't have one either, and it hasn't even shipped yet. *shrug* Somone at AT&T told me that the e-sim locks people to their cell service. (Are we really going to go through that again?)

I'll just wait and see...
 
fbr$ said:
Lack of physical SIM card? Portless, Lightning or USB-C? Hole-Punch or notch? These are just cosmetic details to distract the audience.

I just want what really matters: an iPhone with M2X processor, 64GB of RAM, both iOS and macOS to choose from, 4K resolution ouput, so I can also use it as a Mac... OK, I just asked too much... Maybe just M1 with 16GB of RAM?
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For what? It's still suffering on iOS....
 
Paddle1 said:
In fact, my carrier doesn't even have eSIM. I don't see how this would be viable unless they want to force people to not use their new phones.
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Apple was the first company when the iPhone launched to kick the power out of telco companies hands.

iPhone is too big now. Your carrier will do everything they can to add eSIM support if the alternative means not being able to sign up new iPhone customers.
 
MacRumors said:


iPhone 15 Pro models may lack a physical SIM card slot, according to a sketchy rumor shared by Brazilian website Blog do iPhone.

iphone-12-sim-card-slot.jpeg

Image Credit: iFixit​


While recent iPhone models have a physical nano-SIM card slot and a digital eSIM, the report claims that iPhone 15 Pro models slated for release in 2023 will instead have two eSIMs, ensuring that Dual-SIM functionality remains available. Dual-SIM mode allows you to have two lines of service on one iPhone, which is useful for purchasing data-only plans while traveling abroad or having personal and business lines on a single iPhone.

Given that iPhone 15 Pro models are still two years away from being released, this rumor should be treated with some skepticism until it is corroborated by other sources. Blog do iPhone is also not a well-established source of Apple rumors.

If this rumor proves to be accurate, iPhone 15 Pro models might still have a physical SIM card slot in countries where eSIM service is not available.

The removal of the SIM card slot could further improve water resistance. Apple is also rumored to release a portless iPhone without a Lightning connector in the future, and the lack of a SIM card slot would be another step towards a truly seamless design.

Article Link: Sketchy Rumor Claims iPhone 15 Pro Won't Have Physical SIM Card Slot
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I heard another rumor that it will dial numbers...is that true?
 
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This is a terrible idea for those in Europe and some other areas. I know people there who have three, four, five and even more sims they carry around in a sim wallet. They travel for business and pleasure and need these from country to country. Here in the USA, we don’t understand how many phone carriers there are. It would be like the main carriers here having the designated areas they first had as wired services right after the breakup. If so, we would need at least three SIM cards while traveling around the country. But that’s normal in Europe and many parts of mid and South America. This would make purchasing an iPhone impossible in those areas.
 
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Just as many people points out, eSIM support across the globe is sketchy at best. Heck, even Australia of all countries, they default you for a SIM card when you sign up for a service, and you need to SPECIFICALLY mention eSIM to get eSIM. 2023? Roll this out across US? Likely. Are carriers willing to supply prepaid eSIM to international travelers? Not sure.

Another reason eSIM wont going away anytime soon are those android devices. They don’t care eSIM as much as Apple does, especially for lower cost devices. Eliminating eSIM means those devices will no longer work for phone call, SMS and data. Some dudes yelling eSIM is the future certainly gives no regards on this aspect.

One more thing, for people yelling physical SIM “relic”, people STILL produce CD/DVD discs for use today, just in lower volume. We still have many “ancient” technologies being widely used across the board. So what’s your point?
 
A physical SIM card is completely unnecessary - people that do not travel at all and have no idea what it means to be in a foreign country for extended period of time.

A physical SIM card is completely necessary - people that travel and spend extended period of time in another country.

There, I simplified it for all. Lack of physical SIM card is a big no no.
 
Both my UK and US Carriers support eSIM. I’d happily get rid of the slot as it takes up a relatively large volume of space, that space could go to more battery life or a slightly smaller phone.

I also have no problem downloading eSIMs when I travel. I’ve never removed the SIM card trays for my iPhone 13 Pro or my wife’s iPhone 13 Mini.
 
alexe said:
Finally, only took us 25 years to realize that a physical SIM card is absolutely unnecessary.
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Do people not remember the world before SIM cards?

You had to buy phones from the carrier. If you wanted a phone that they didn’t sell, too bad. Unlocked phones didn’t exist.

Swapping out phones meant a call to customer service. They might charge you an activation fee. Not because it actually cost them anything to activate a phone, but because they could. What were you going to do? Take your business to another carrier? Oh wait, you couldn’t because you were locked in a contract. Of course the other carriers pulled the same crap too.

And bend over if you wanted to use your phone in another country.

SIM cards were one of the most consumer friendly innovations we’ve had in the cell phone industry. Getting rid of them is a step backwards.
 
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jazz1 said:
My spouse has a work account on Verizon, and a personal account on AT&T. I purchased, through the Apple Store a iPhone 13 with an AT&T deal that gave about $800.00 credit towards future AT&T bills. After purchase, and trying to set up the work phone number we were advised at the AT&T store (they figured it out during set-up) That you had to pay off the phone completely (unlock it) so you could host a second non AT&T phone number.

We had already paid for a bunch of accessories at the AT&T store, and elsewhere. She in now stuck with an old Xs that is fully paid of so can have two phone number on the same phone.

Neither the Apple Store, or the AT&T store actually knew this caveat.

To the point of the thread, would an eSim fix this issue?
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It would. eSim allows you effectively to have two lines - the only limiting factor would be what the phone supports in hardware (CDMA vs GSM or whatever the different networks are) - pretty sure the 13 supports it.
 
Shirasaki said:
Another reason eSIM wont going away anytime soon are those android devices. They don’t care eSIM as much as Apple does, especially for lower cost devices. Eliminating eSIM means those devices will no longer work for phone call, SMS and data. Some dudes yelling eSIM is the future certainly gives no regards on this aspect.
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Modern android phones definitely support eSIM about as well as modern iPhones support eSIM. The problem isn't a platform, it's always been about the carriers. Chicken and egg problem.

This isn't really the debate though it's all about pushing the carriers to do better in this space globally.
 
BGPL said:
Finally, Apple is pushing the carriers to drop physical SIMs. There's absolutely no reason for this, we don't drop phones every other week like Mission Impossible.
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You must not do much international traveling otherwise you'd know that it's very convenient being able to go to a store (like a gas station) to pick up a pay-as-you-go SIM for a month of service. Much cheaper than paying a U.S. carrier for one of their international plans.

Here's an example: Verizon charges $5/day for service in Canada. If you're there for 2 weeks that's $70. Or you could grab a pre-paid SIM from Public Mobile and get unlimited talk/text and 5GB of data for $35.

Going overseas to some place like Ireland? Verizon and AT&T charge $10/day for service ($140 for 2 weeks of service? ? ). Or you could grab a pre-paid SIM from Orange and get unlimited talk/text and 8GB data for $30.


crocrash320 said:
I can certainly see this happening in the future. I am not sure about other countries, but most (if not all) major carriers already support eSIM in the US.
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Umm... not everyone lives, works, or vacations in the U.S.

It's a big world out there. Get out and explore it once in a while.
 
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