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

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.

iPhone 16 SIM
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.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air

Popular Stories

ios 18 4 carplay

iOS 18.4 Includes a Small But Useful Change for CarPlay

Sunday February 23, 2025 2:23 pm PST by
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay. As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped...
iphone 17 lineup cad render majin bu

Revealed: Entire iPhone 17 Lineup's Striking New Camera Designs

Monday February 24, 2025 2:49 am PST by
A new CAD render of all the devices in Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 lineup has been shared online by leaker Majin Bu, specifically showing the allegedly different rear camera system designs of the standard iPhone 17, all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. The leaker Majin Bu has had some hits in the past, but some of his information has been wrong,...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
ios 18 4 ambient music

iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
airtag orange

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch in May or June With These New Features

Monday February 24, 2025 6:11 am PST by
Apple plans to launch a second-generation AirTag in May or June this year, according to a post today from a leaker known as Kosutami. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that a new AirTag would be released in mid-2025. May or June would align with that timeframe. Below, we recap three new features rumored for the AirTag 2: With a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Has No Visible Display Crease – Report

Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:58 am PST by
Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices. According to Korean publication ETNews, Apple is finalizing its component suppliers for the foldable iPhone, with the selection process expected to be completed...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...

Top Rated Comments

DMG35 Avatar
13 weeks ago
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.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Adora Avatar
13 weeks ago
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.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jonf1979 Avatar
13 weeks ago
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
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
13 weeks ago

It super simply to change an eSIM to another device, there is no reason to keep physical SIM slots.
Only the slow and weak can't figure it out and complain.
No one is saying it can’t be easy. It’s about control. Some carriers ask for $$ to swap eSIMs to another device. You need to ask for their permission first. This is basically like voluntary DRM.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Porco Avatar
13 weeks ago
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.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
13 weeks ago

Why does Apple always try to sell removing things as a feature? Especially for people with multiple phones the option to simply take the SIM card out of one phone and put it into another phone is very convenient. And it will never cost a fee.
The more control Apple has over the ecosystem, the more power they have. By removing the SIM slot, Apple can at some point, demand carriers fork over 30% of their revenue, just like the Apple Store. The SIM is a critical gatekeeping feature.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)