Apple Preparing iPhones Without SIM Cards, report says

Apple is rumoured to be making plans to remove the SIM card slot from its phones. Network providers have been told to be ready for iPhones without no sim cards to arrive in late 2022. 

In the past, there have been rumours that Apple would stop using the SIM card slot on its phones. But so far they have come from unreliable sources with a bad track record. iPhones already come with e-SIM technology in several areas, making it possible for users to use a dual-SIM phone without the need to add a second physical SIM slot.

These are some quick facts about the technology that will be used. e-SIM stands for a SIM that is built-in. It is a little chip within the phone that eliminates the need to swap SIM cards while switching carriers. Call your network provider instead to set up a cell phone connection, use more than one phone line, or switch to a different service. While e-SIMs are convenient, network providers are required to provide support for the technology. 

Apple looks to aim to eliminate the need for a real SIM card by doing away with the SIM slot entirely. As MacRumors quotes an anonymous source, the site says that Apple will start making iPhones that only have e-SIMs by 2022. The report states that “Apple has urged major US carriers to prepare for the launch of eSIM-only devices by September 2022.” It also quotes a seemingly credible document that mentions the period indicated above. It’s clear from a September window that the new iPhone 14 series could be the first to change.

Apple is no stranger to eSIM, having offered eSIM-ready gadgets like the Apple Watch and iPad for some time. In other words, Apple is ready to do away with the physical SIM slot on iPhones. 

They appeared to be waiting for their rivals to catch up with them and for a better time in the market to make the switch. People have said that the eSIM-only transition won’t happen until the iPhone 15 series comes out in 2023. But it looks like the changeover will happen a year early when the iPhone 14 family comes out.

Rumours and supposed images show that the iPhone 14 is going to have a new look, which makes sense. Some people say the camera lens housing will be moved so it’s flush. The notch is rumoured to be replaced by an opening cut out, and the round buttons from the iPhone 4 era may also be making a return. 

The eSIM-only route isn’t exclusive to Apple, though. With its Razr clamshell foldable phone, Motorola has already used the eSIM technology. It’s also been used by Samsung, as well as a lot of China-based smartphone makers.