Apple continues to phase out the physical SIM card tray on iPhones, with the latest models relying solely on eSIM technology in more countries.
The new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max support eSIMs only in these countries and regions, according to Apple:
- Bahrain
- Canada
- Guam
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Mexico
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- U.S. Virgin Islands
If you are unaware, an eSIM is essentially a digital version of a SIM card. The latest iPhones do not support physical SIM cards in the above countries and regions, so this is a major change that customers in those places will have to adapt to.
Apple says eSIM-only models of these iPhones are equipped with a larger battery that fills the space formerly occupied by the physical SIM card tray.
Apple started phasing out SIM cards starting with the iPhone 14 series, in the U.S. only.
iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models sold everywhere else, including in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Korea, still have nano-SIM card trays alongside eSIM support. In China, the devices support nano-SIM cards only.
As for the all-new, ultra-thin iPhone Air, that is an eSIM-only model worldwide. Yes, that includes China, contrary to some rumors leading up to today.
iPhones with eSIM capabilities support at least eight eSIMs, allowing you to conveniently switch between supported carriers around the world.
When the iPhone 14 series launched in 2022, Apple promoted eSIMs as being more secure than physical SIM cards, as they cannot be removed from an iPhone that is lost or stolen. In addition, at least eight eSIMs can be managed on an iPhone at once, eliminating the need to obtain, carry, and swap SIM cards while traveling.
