iPhone 17: SIM card slot allegedly disappears in more countries
The SIM card: It is already passé in new iPads, but Apple is likely to ban it from iPhones in future – and probably not just from the (too) thin iPhone 17 Air.
Apple has already removed the SIM card slot from iPhones in the USA. It can still be seen here – on an iPhone 15 Pro.
(Image: Sebastian Trepesch)
The SIM card slot is on Apple's hit list: With the "iPhone 17" generation expected for 2025, the manufacturer is removing the slot in more countries, according to a report. The smartphone will then only be able to connect to mobile networks via the two integrated eSIMs. Apple has already taken this step for iPhones produced for the US market, which no longer support a physical SIM card. In Germany and the vast majority of other regions, a SIM card can still be inserted and exchanged in the current iPhone 16 (Pro).
iPhone 17 Air allegedly too thin for SIM card slot
The particularly flat "iPhone 17 Air", which has been the subject of speculation for some time, is simply too thin for a SIM card slot, as reported by The Information, citing informed sources. The design of the new model has not yet been finalized, however. However, Apple is also planning to remove the slot for a physical SIM – from other variants of the iPhone 17 series. In addition to the basic model and the new "Air", an iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are also expected. However, the report leaves open for which countries the fundamental change is planned.
The fact that Apple is removing the slot from its hardware worldwide is already demonstrated by the new iPads: iPad Pro M4, iPad Air M2 and iPad mini 2024 rely purely on an eSIM and for the first time no longer support a traditional SIM card –, not even in Germany. Apple promotes the eSIM as a "secure alternative to the physical SIM card".
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What is changing with the eSIM
More and more mobile phone providers now support the technology and offer tariffs that can be activated directly as an eSIM. eSIMs can be reprogrammed and support several profiles for different tariffs that can be used alternately. The two eSIMs in the iPhone also support dual SIM mode so that the user can still be reached on both phone numbers.
Data quotas can also be easily and conveniently booked via eSIM when traveling abroad in many countries. However, the option of obtaining a SIM card from a local provider for longer stays abroad is no longer available. Some users may also miss the flexibility of a physical SIM that can be quickly inserted into another of their own devices, for example.
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