iPhone 15 Pro could ditch SIM cards altogether

(Prototype credit: Tom's Guide)

Given there are however a few days left of 2021 to enjoy, information technology's unsurprising that plans for 2022'due south iPhone 14 are yet a bit mysterious. Rumors are understandably thin on the footing, simply an intriguing one has emerged in the last few days from 2 different sources, with two possible timeframes mooted.

There's talk of Apple tree killing the SIM-card slot and embracing eSIMs, only is it for the iPhone 14, the iPhone 15 or neither?

First, a little background. The Brazilian website Blog Do iPhone claimed that Apple tree is experimenting with dropping concrete SIM cards for its 2023 Pro iPhones and switching to dual eSIMs instead. The site cites an bearding British company allegedly working on the projection every bit the source for the leak.

This has been treated with extreme skepticism from the commentariat for two reasons: first, the website in question isn't one with a proven rails record of authentic Apple leaks. And second, the report only says Apple tree is "experimenting" with the technology, and that isn't the aforementioned thing as guaranteeing the switchover volition happen.

Only at that place could exist something to this, and maybe even sooner than Blog Do iPhone'south timeline suggests. Afterwards reporting the above rumor as "sketchy", MacRumors published a follow-up piece giving acceptance to the initial report and suggesting it may exist something for adjacent year'due south iPhone xiv instead.

An "anonymous tipster" got in contact with the site claiming Apple had been in touch with "major U.S. carriers" advising them to ready for eSIM-just smartphones in September 2022. Bankroll upwardly this claim was a "seemingly legitimate document" with timeframes for the plan, though the site notes that neither Apple nor the iPhone is mentioned by name in the text.

According to said document, the programme is for carriers to brainstorm offer iPhone 13 handsets without a nano-SIM bill of fare in the box in the second quarter of 2022 — something which is already the instance for handsets sold directly from Apple tree.

"Given the alleged September 2022 deadline, information technology is possible that Apple might remove the physical SIM menu slot starting with some iPhone xiv models, rather than some iPhone fifteen models as originally rumored," the site speculates. "But zero is definite at this point."

Is a SIM-gratuitous iPhone plausible?

Commentators are split on whether a eSIM-but iPhone is something Apple will back — especially in the tight timeline suggested.

The case against is that the change could prove disruptive to those used to moving their SIM carte from telephone to phone. Plus, eSIM services aren't bachelor worldwide, meaning Apple might have to create specific models for regions without, at added expense.

But there's also a case for the removal of the SIM card slot. Apple is rumored to be moving to a truly portless design for its iPhones in the long run, and this would be a useful step on that journey. Plus, taking out the SIM tray could both meliorate water resistance and (marginally) amend aesthetics, as well as free upwards a tiny bit of internal infinite inside the iPhone.

You might consider that reasoning flimsy, only at that place was arguably an equally weak case for removing the iii.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 — something Apple tree claimed took "courage". Five years on, and Apple hasn't seen the demand to relent yet, and if the SIM menu tray joins the audio jack on the fleck heap, then we could exist one minor but significant step closer to that portless iPhone ambition condign reality.

Freelance correspondent Alan has been writing most tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine also. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, y'all'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games excess. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.