Apple pushes eSIM: More plans to remove SIM card trays emerge

Apple has expressed its preference for eSIM in the past and highlighted its benefits, especially when traveling abroad. These advantages include added security, not having to deal with physical cards, and easier roaming functionally. However, eSIM is still an emerging technology that has not seen worldwide adoption yet.

iPhone users in the US are already familiar with the lack of SIM card trays, with the iPhone 16 being released as eSIM only. For other countries, however, most iPhone sales outside of the US still have physical SIM trays as an option. Unfortunately, as Apple continues to push the adoption of eSIM, they have started to introduce physical design choices that bar the possibility of including a SIM tray. A chief example is the rumored thickness of the iPhone 17 Air.

Featuring a rumored thickness of 5 mm, the iPhone 17 Air will be the thinnest iPhone to date. With such limited internal space and Apple's affinity for eSIM, it is no wonder that the iPhone 17 Air would not include a SIM tray by design. The lack of a SIM tray will not be an issue for most countries, but that is not the case for China. According to Statista, China makes up a giant portion of the iPhone market share, with close to 20 percent of iPhones being sold to the country. China's adoption of eSIM is a possibility. However, the relationship between China and Apple has been tumultuous at best, with talks of banning the iPhone in the country circulating. Only time will tell if the close to 40 billion dollar gamble on China's adoption of eSIM will play out well for Apple.