Apple breaks with tradition: iPhone 14 is said to be missing well-known technology

Portable phones have had a slot for small SIM cards, and not just since the beginning of the smartphone age. These enable access to the selected cellular network and are therefore required for the connection. For some years now, the iPhone has also been offering an alternative solution for the now ancient SIM card.

According to two current rumors, the well-known drawer for the SIM card could disappear from the iPhone in the coming year. After the Brazilian site Blog do iPhone launched a surprising rumor last week, MacRumors has now received further information.

The original rumor was that Apple would do without the small drawer for the SIM card on the iPhone 15 Pro. Instead, Apple’s smartphone should only control the connection with the cellular provider via the eSIM.

The current iPhone 13 can be operated with one or two eSIMs in addition to a classic SIM card. The “cards”, which are completely controlled by the software, allow in theory an easier change between several mobile network providers on one iPhone. Switching between multiple iPhones can also be easier. In practice, however, it is often still easier nowadays to move the small card.

iPhone 14 without a conventional SIM card?

If you believe the new rumors, the end of the SIM card should come in the coming year and not with the iPhone 15. MacRumors reports that US wireless operators have been advised that Apple smartphones will only have the eSIM function from September 2022. In the corresponding document, which MacRumors received from the source, the explicit mention of Apple or iPhone is missing.

Part of this change of course – at least in the USA – should be a change in the iPhone 13 that is already available. While Apple is already selling its current smartphones without a preinstalled SIM card, in the future the iPhones offered by the provider will also be equipped without one. Customers can then configure their eSIM when setting up the smartphone.

No comprehensive support for eSIM yet

The above schedule now indicates that the well-known opening in the case could possibly disappear in the iPhone 14. However, it is likely that not all iPhone models sold around the world will have to do without them.

While the offer of the eSIM function is growing steadily, the support of the mobile phone providers is not yet available everywhere. In Germany, among others, the three big providers are represented with O2, Telekom and Vodafone – in other regions of the world, however, the support of eSIM still looks bad.

After Apple had already removed the 3.5 mm connector, another opening in the iPhone could be closed in the near future. One of the advantages of eliminating it would be better protection against water or other liquids. Removing the technology for the SIM card could also free up valuable space inside the iPhone.

This article first appeared on inside-digital.de.