Apple Promotes Benefits of Using iPhone 14 With eSIM While Traveling Abroad

Amid criticism from some customers regarding the removal of the SIM card tray on all iPhone 14 models sold in the United States, Apple today published a new support document outlining various "options and benefits" for using eSIMs while traveling abroad.

iphone 14 iphone 14 plus in hand
Apple says an eSIM is more secure than a physical SIM since it cannot be removed from an iPhone that is lost or stolen. Apple also says that eSIMs eliminate the need to obtain, carry, and swap physical SIM cards, or wait for them to arrive by mail.

The support document notes that the iPhone XS and newer can store eight or more eSIMs, while the iPhone 13 and newer can have two eSIMs active at the same time.

"This could, for example, include one eSIM for your home and another eSIM for the place you're visiting," the support document explains. "You can swap which of your stored eSIMs are active simply by changing your selections in Settings."

The support document includes information for customers looking to roam internationally with their existing carrier, purchase an eSIM from a local carrier while traveling abroad, or purchase a prepaid data eSIM from a worldwide service provider.

Apple says customers can activate an unlocked iPhone 14 model purchased in the United States with over 400 carriers that support eSIM on the iPhone in 100 markets around the world. Apple adds that many worldwide service providers also offer prepaid eSIM data plans for long-term use in countries around the world.

Some people have expressed concerns about eSIM availability while traveling abroad with eSIM-only iPhone 14 models from the United States.

In his iPhone 14 Pro camera review, travel photographer Austin Mann said he was "a bit concerned about the practicality of an eSIM-only approach for travelers with US iPhones who frequently visit the developing world," adding that he usually purchases a local SIM card in countries where he travels to so that it is easier and cheaper to communicate with people within the country. Mann said he would be thrilled to toss out his collection of physical SIM cards, but said he has been unable to figure out how to sign up for an eSIM line in East Africa, where he plans to travel to next summer.

The support document is unlikely to assuage disappointed customers, but it does serve as a helpful resource for using eSIM technology.

Tag: eSIM
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
maxresdefault

New iPad Pro With M5 Chip Leaked in Unboxing Video

Tuesday September 30, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
An apparent unboxing video for an unannounced iPad Pro with the M5 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so this is likely a legitimate leak. Based on the box shown in the video, this appears to be a 13-inch iPad Pro with an M5 chip, 256GB of...
fcc vision pro leak

FCC Accidentally Leaks Apple's Next Vision Pro

Tuesday September 30, 2025 3:48 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has seemingly confirmed Apple's work on an updated version of the Vision Pro headset. One of several documents the FCC shared today references an Apple-designed "Head Mounted Device" with a model number of A3416. An included image confirms the device is a Vision Pro. The FCC's uploads are transmission tests, SAR test reports, and...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple's iPhone Driver's License Feature Now Available in 11 U.S. States

Tuesday September 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Apple recently revealed that the feature would soon be available in North Dakota, and starting today, the feature has officially gone...
macbook pro prime day 2025

FCC Leaks Upcoming MacBook Pro and More

Tuesday September 30, 2025 1:58 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission has confirmed Apple's work on a new version of the MacBook Pro and several other products, leaking details on the devices ahead of launch. The FCC published documents that reference model numbers that do not correspond with existing devices. A3434, for example, references an unreleased MacBook Pro, while other numbers are likely for...
LG UltraFine 6K Display TB5

LG UltraFine 6K (32U990A) TB5 Display: Pre-Orders Open September 30

Monday September 29, 2025 6:21 am PDT by
Pre-orders for LG's new UltraFine evo 6K display (model 32U990A) with Thunderbolt 5 support will begin on September 30, according to a major U.S. retailer listing. LG first revealed the 32-inch display at CES 2025 in January, teasing its status as the first monitor to support Thunderbolt 5. At the time, LG only provided high-level specs, but left pricing, availability, and full technical...

Top Rated Comments

fwmireault Avatar
40 months ago
We all know the benefits to eSIM, the issue is not there. The issue is that many carriers outside (and even inside) the US still doesn't support it to this day.
Score: 60 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yg17 Avatar
40 months ago
The question isn't whether or not carriers abroad support eSIM, the question is, can I, a visitor to the country who doesn't have a local address, local bank account, local government ID, and who may not speak a word of the local language, get a plan with an eSIM before I walk out of the airport?

It's usually easy enough to buy a physical SIM card when you arrive, some countries have vending machines for them in the airport.

I'm going to Turkey next year. According to Apple, there are 3 carriers there that support eSIM. Fantastic. How do I get one? The carrier's sites are in Turkish. I stumbled through one of them with Google Translate. I think I need to already have a Turkish number to sign up. I'd most certainly need a Turkish address, possibly a Turkish bank account to pay for it.

Hell, I went to see what the options are for the UK, to at least remove the language barrier. Seems like none of them support eSIM for PAYG. I guess as a visitor, I'm not getting an eSIM.

And yes, I know about Airalo and the like. They're convenient, but expensive compared to local plans. They also don't support voice calling if that's something you need. Airalo is probably fine for most people for short term travel, but if you're spending a lot of time abroad, it's not going to cut it.
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yg17 Avatar
40 months ago

You laid it out perfectly! That's exactly the issues I had in Greece. It was a waste of time and it was a nightmare!
Yep.

The people at Apple who made the decision to remove the SIM slot are making 7 figures. When they travel, they just pay their carrier for an outrageously priced data roaming plan. They don’t think about it. They’ve never had to travel on a budget.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ONJ Avatar
40 months ago
I'm just astonished at how much Apple has become so arrogant. Serioulsy, has anyone here in the past few months tried to activate an eSim with any carrier in the US? Well, I have tried many times with Verizon and T-Mobile and I have to say it's a nightmare!! Yes, surely they may have fixed and trained the carriers here in the US to activate eSims, but, can you imagine going to somewhere like Greece (Trust me, I was there and tried with Cosmote - impossible), Ghana, Guatemala etc where there is perhaps no such thing as an eSim or, you simply can't speak the language to activate an eSim at the local corner store?
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
typecase Avatar
40 months ago
Even here in the US its a solid pain not to have a physical sim card not to mention the inconvenience when travelling abroad. Before I could just swap my sim when I got a new phbone and even my carrier would not be any the wiser. Now if I swap to an esim from my regular sim, it seems they will charge me a $35 upgrade fee. A fee for complete BS just for using my phone. Kind of like Comcast's HD technology fee of $9 every month. Thanks Apple.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
40 months ago

We all know the benefits to eSIM, the issue is not there. The issue is that many carriers outside the US still doesn't support it today.
Many carriers inside the US don't support it either (or don't support it on certain plans).
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)