Apple plans to abandon physical SIM cards in iPhones next year

Apple is planning to abandon physical SIM cards in iPhones on the international market next year, The Information reports.

Here's What We Know

From September 2024, with the release of the iPhone 17, Apple plans to remove the physical SIM card tray in countries other than the United States, where all iPhone 14-16 models already support only eSIM.

According to the source, all iPhone 17 Air prototypes no longer have a SIM card tray. However, it is not known whether these devices will be available in China, where eSIM has not yet been approved. Digital SIMs have a number of advantages, including increased security and the ability to use up to eight eSIMs simultaneously.

Apple also has a list of operators supporting eSIMs in different countries, making it easier to switch to the new technology.

Source: The Information