iPhone 17: Models only with eSIM in the EU?
While US-Americans have only received SIM slot-less devices since the iPhone 14, these are still available for EU models. This could now change.
SIM tool in an iPhone package: soon no longer necessary?
(Image: Tamisclao/Shutterstock)
Apple now also appears to be planning to stop equipping iPhones with physical SIM card slots within the European Union. This could already be the case with the iPhone 17 series, which is due to be unveiled next week. Apple is currently pursuing a dual strategy in the EU countries: a "real" SIM meets one (or more, whereby only one may be active at a time) digital eSIM. According to a report from Macrumors, Apple's eSIM training courses are now planned for numerous official retail partners – four days before the iPhone keynote. Apparently, dates are scheduled in all 27 EU countries.
No longer an issue in the USA since iPhone 14
The dates are listed in Apple's internal training app SEED, which is available to both Apple Store employees and employees of Apple Authorized Resellers. As iPhones have had eSIMs for some time now, this refresher course fits in with an overall restructuring of the SIM strategy. Last year, the IT news service The Information reported that Apple was planning to "eliminate physical SIMs in more countries". Meanwhile, not all mobile phone providers are happy with this: In the UK, they turned to the responsible regulator because they fear losing customers due to a quick change.
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In the USA, only eSIMs have been available since the iPhone 14 series, which was released in 2022. However, the space of the physical SIM is not yet being used for other components; according to teardowns, the area simply remains empty. With the particularly thin iPhone 17 Air, Apple may now lack the space for the SIM slot. In China, on the other hand, there has been another development: devices here even have double physical SIMs. Both cards are placed next to each other in the SIM tray (each facing outwards). Apple lists the countries in which eSIMs are already available in a support document.
Changing the eSIM can still be a pain
In practice, the eSIM actually works well for users: they no longer have to wait for the mobile provider to send out a physical card. Providers such as Fraenk have digitized the entire sales process: The app creates the eSIM immediately after the contract is signed. However, some providers still send the necessary QR code by letter. Changing devices can also cause difficulties if the network operator does not provide for standard eSIM transfer.
Apple has recently been working on new transfer options and will soon allow eSIMs to be transferred to Android devices with iOS 26. But here, too, it is unclear whether this will work with every mobile provider. Users should contact their provider directly to find out how painlessly they handle the transfer of eSIMs.
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