Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 flagships may lose SIM card slot
Physical SIM cards may become a rarity not only in iPhones but also in flagship Android smartphones. According to insiders, Android device manufacturers are planning to abandon SIM card slots in the new generation of ultra-thin smartphones based on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 (SM8850) chip.
Here's What We Know
Earlier, Apple made eSIM the only option in its iPhones for the US market. This forced users who wanted to stay with physical SIM cards to look for alternatives among Android smartphones. However, the situation may change: according to rumours, companies that will release Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 devices are also considering ditching physical SIMs.
A well-known insider at Digital Chat Station claims that this change will affect ultra-thin models that will compete with the iPhone 17 Air. Manufacturers are striving to make smartphones even more compact, and the abandonment of the SIM card slot will reduce their thickness.
Whether this will become the new standard for all Android flagships remains to be seen. Much depends on the success of the iPhone 17 Air and Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.
Recently, Apple removed the physical SIM card slot in the iPad (11th generation) and now the tablet supports only eSIM. The new iPad retains the familiar design, size, weight and colour options of the previous iPad (10th generation). However, the display is now slightly larger - 11 inches instead of 10.9, although the resolution and brightness remain unchanged.
Source: Digital Chat Station via Weibo
