Starting in September 2022, Apple plans to release new iPhone models without a physical SIM card port. Instead, the iPhone models would only enable eSIM for cellular network connectivity. The update could happen next year with the iPhone 14 series.
According to MacRumors, Apple has advised major US providers to prepare for eSIM-only smartphones by September, citing a supposedly credible document given by an anonymous source. As part of the transition, some carriers are expected to begin providing some iPhone 13 models without a Nano-SIM card in the box in the second quarter of 2022. This would allow consumers to use eSIM to connect to their primary network.
Apple is preparing to remove physical SIM card support from its iPhone models, according to a source that goes by the Twitter handle Dylan.
Since the launch of the iPhone XS in September 2018, Apple has supported eSIM on its iPhone models. However, all current iPhone models include a Nano-SIM card slot in addition to eSIM capability.
The iPhone 13 series, unlike prior phones, allows several eSIM configurations, allowing dual-SIM capability with eSIM. This means that users of the latest iPhone models can connect to two different networks without having to utilize their Nano-SIM cards. It’s possible that this is just the beginning, as Apple is expected to convert to a full eSIM model next year.
Pros of iPhone 14 Series Removing the Physical SIM Card Slot:
Apple may be able to offer stronger water resistance and a better design on future iPhone models by deleting the Nano-SIM card slot. It would also allow the manufacturer to replace the physical SIM card slot with alternative components.