Recently, the rumor mill has been talking about future iPhones losing their SIM card slots starting with the iPhone 15 in 2023. But shortly after the leak, MacRumors received an anonymous tip that Apple is already in talks with major US carriers regarding eSIM only smartphones.
This means that we may see eSIM only iPhones in 2022 instead, starting with the iPhone 14. This information has been corroborated by a reliable Apple tipster Dylan on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/dylandkt/status/1475524776684892167?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1475524776684892167%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gsmarena.com%2Fleaker_corroborates_apple_may_switch_iphones_to_esim_only_as_soon_as_2022-news-52450.php
Removing a physical SIM slot has a few advantages when it comes to production. It would free up some space for other components and the eject and insert mechanism for the tray will no longer be produced, saving cost. Removing a port would also simplify the production of the frame and it would make it easier to keep the phone water and dustproof.
After removing the headphone jack and introducing MagSafe accessories, Apple is going one step closer to the envisioned port-less iPhone by removing the SIM card slot.
It is worth mentioning that eSIM support is nothing new on smartphones. The iPhone 13 already has it and so does the Google Pixel 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S21 series. But the iPhone 14 will likely be the first to remove the physical SIM slot. And since Apple is the trendsetter in the market, other phone makers may also remove SIM slots sooner or later.
Hence, it is quite possible that Android phones in 2023 will start removing SIM card slots as well.
IPhone isn’t trendsetter. Google pixel 2 even had eSIM feature years back. IPhone is bringing features which Samsung is having in phones since many years now. Thank you.
iPhone is the biggest trendsetter. They removed the headphone jack and everyone followed. everyone followed the notch trend for years. they made their phone boxes smaller and removed the charging brick and companies are following that too now. companies still follow iPhone design to this day and UI elements too.
eSIM is nothing new. that’s true. but removing the physical SIM slot is the big change here. and I can bet that every other company will start doing it after Apple removes it.
Apple may not be the first to introduce things. but it’s still a trendsetter like some others
As for Samsung, they make fun of Apple for doing something and then follow anyway. For instance, they made fun of Apple removing chargers from their boxes and now they do the same thing themselves.
it’s true that Apple is late to introduce features. as always. but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s the biggest trendsetter still.