Apple fans are eagerly waiting for the launch of the iPhone 17 series, expected in September. Now, a major update has come out — the iPhone 17 models may not have a physical SIM card tray.
In the US, Apple has already removed the SIM card slot from iPhones. Now, the company might do the same in European countries. This means users will need to use e-SIM only.
Apple Begins e-SIM Training for European Staff
According to reports, Apple has asked employees of its authorized resellers in Europe to complete e-SIM training by September 5.
This suggests that the upcoming iPhone 17 series, likely to launch on September 9, may come with e-SIM only in countries across the European Union (EU).
The EU includes 27 countries such as France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Experts believe Apple could also expand the e-SIM-only option to more countries outside Europe as well.
iPhone 17 Air Model to Feature Only e-SIM
The iPhone 17 series is expected to be announced at Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event on September 9.
The series may include a new, ultra-slim model called iPhone 17 Air. Reports suggest that this model will not have a physical SIM slot and will support only e-SIM.
Besides the iPhone 17 Air, other models in the series may also come without SIM slots in most countries, except for some markets like China and India, where physical SIM support might still be available.
US iPhones Already Support Only e-SIM
It’s important to note that in the United States, Apple removed the SIM slot starting with the iPhone 14 in 2022, making all newer models e-SIM-only.
Apple has promoted e-SIM as a more secure option, since it can’t be physically removed from the phone — making it easier to track if the phone is lost or stolen.
Also, users can store and manage up to 8 different e-SIM profiles at once.
