In July, a news that Apple could possibly switch to eSIM surfaced. This was reported by 9to5Mac.
Now, this rumor is backed up by the latest report of Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. According to him, Apple will "give eSIM a bigger push this time around," as per Bloomberg.
Apple Considers Removing the SIM Card Slot
If Apple is indeed pushing towards an eSIM technology, this only means that the company could potentially launch some iPhone models without a SIM card slot, according to MacRumors.
Apple will be launching the new iPhone 14 models this week, and as Gurman speculated, Apple might remove the SIM card slot on some iPhone 14 models to favor eSIM.
However, he also said that there's a bigger possibility that Apple will not be introducing iPhone models with eSIM technology until next year when it introduces the iPhone 15 models.
The rumor about the removal of the SIM card slot in some iPhone models has been circulating for quite some time.
"Apple will give eSIM a bigger push this time around, with carriers preparing to steer users toward the digital, embedded SIM cards rather than physical ones," reads Gurman's report in Bloomberg.
His report further stated that the company has, in fact, considered the possibility of "removing the physical SIM card slot altogether beginning either this year or next for some models."
An eSIM is a digital SIM card. Using an eSIM, users will be able to activate a cellular plan without relying on a physical nano-SIM card.
Even if eSIM technology is increasingly expanding, there are still countries where it is not available.
Because of this, it is expected that there will still be some iPhone models in the market that will have a SIM card slot. This might be the case for a few years during the transition period.
Read Also: iPhone Without SIM Card Slot? Apple's Steve Jobs Wanted That for its First-Gen
Removing the Card Slot in iPhones Could Bring Some Advantage
According to 9to5Mac, we are counting the days until the physical SIM card becomes obsolete. The news site added that phone users in Europe and Asia are adopting the eSIM technology.
The inclusion of the eSIM option to the third-gen iPhone SE is an indicator that US carriers should begin preparing for a time when iPhones will also push towards utilizing eSIM technology.
In the US, the three major network providers have also begun their work on possible SIM card less iPhones.
In fact, according to MacRumors, the iPhone 13 models sold at Apple Stores and on Apple.com no longer include a nano-SIM card in the box.
The news site mentioned that users can now typically "activate a cellular plan via eSIM by turning on the iPhone, connecting to a Wi-Fi network, and following the on-screen instructions."
In addition, users of iPhone 13 models can also have multiple eSIM profiles. This means that they can subscribe to several cellular plans digitally.
The removal of the SIM card slot in iPhones could give the unit some advantage. First is it could help free a small amount of space within the phone. Another one is it could help in enhancing the water resistance of iPhone models, as per MacRumors.
Related Article: iPhone 14 Leaks Hint Major Design Change: Sim Card Slot To Be Removed?
