The iPhone's SIM tray is dead, and Apple killed it.
Apple has recently unveiled its new iPhone 14 line along with many improvements and changes to last year's model, including the removal of the iPhone's SIM tray in favor of supporting eSIM technology.
Although the SIM tray is gone, Apple customers outside the US wouldn't have to worry about the new iPhone's lack of one.
iPhone SIM Tray Removal Details
Apple mentioned in its announcements for its new line of iPhones that it removed the SIM tray from iPhone 14 models to enable users using eSIMs to "more quickly and easily set up their device."
According to the Cupertino-based tech giant, an eSIM allows users to easily connect or quickly transfer their existing plans digitally, making it a more secure alternative to a physical SIM card.
The technology behind the eSIM also allows those that use it to create and maintain multiple cellular plans on a single device.
Although the SIM tray's removal may be a problem for those who still use physical SIM cards in the US, it shouldn't affect most people as Apple has been supporting eSIMs since 2018.
Engadget mentioned in its article that Apple had supported eSIM technology since the company revealed and released the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR to the public.
The company even added support for eSIM technology in most of its recent devices aside from the iPhone, particularly its Apple Watch and iPad devices.
Additionally, Apple has been allowing customers to use multiple eSIMs on the same device since it released the iPhone 13 in 2021, allowing them to utilize multiple plans on the same iPhone without needing to swap SIM cards.
There are some catches, though. Customers with eSIM-only iPhones leaving the US and wishing to avoid paying high fees for data roaming costs may have to hold on to their old devices.
It is common practice for travelers to buy local SIMs when visiting other countries as a way of avoiding high data roaming costs.
Another catch is that people transitioning from an iPhone using a physical SIM card to an eSIM-only one must either call their carrier or complete an enrolment process online to turn their physical SIM into an eSIM.
What Are eSIMs?
eSIMS, which is short for "embedded SIM," is a SIM that is already built into a device's mainboard, per How-To Geek. It is rewritable and compatible with all major carriers, regardless of the network they use.
Since an eSIM is already built into a device's mainboard, it cannot be removed and transferred into another device, according to Forbes.
Aside from allowing users of eSIM-only devices to use more than one SIM, an eSIM also uses less physical phone space, making room for a bigger battery or additional features.
It also allows people to use up to five virtual SIM cards at a time, making switching between them easy.
However, the downside of having an eSIM-only device is that people can no longer switch devices as easily as before. Additionally, an eSIM prevents a person from hiding their location in case they have concerns about being tracked.
