The iPhone 14 has been confirmed to not feature a physical SIM tray in the United States variant. Users will be able to use two eSIMs simultaneously, which is not exactly bad.
To begin, eSIMs are SIM cards that are electronic rather than physical. That means your phone can be supplied remotely, eliminating the need to visit a shop to get an actual SIM card. This makes switching networks or trying one out simpler (in certain aspects) – T-Mobile now employs eSIMs to allow consumers to test-drive its network for up to three months. As of iOS 16, you can even move your eSIM between iPhones via Bluetooth, making it virtually as simple as using a real SIM – as long as you remain inside the Apple ecosystem. Without a doubt.
Most major US carriers, as well as many others globally, accept eSIM, and iPhones have supported them since 2018, including the option to utilize two SIM cards at the same time. Until the iPhone 13, it meant one eSIM and one conventional SIM; the iPhone 13 series included the option to utilize two eSIMs simultaneously. The next natural step is to remove the physical SIM — and the hole in the casing it needs. At least for Apple, and in the United States — everywhere else, the iPhone 14 retains a SIM slot.
If you use a major US mobile phone network like AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile, the absence of a physical SIM tray won’t bother you too much. Even if you switch providers or phones, you can get an eSIM from Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile without visiting a shop.
But if you’re on a carrier that doesn’t support eSIM or intend to move to one, you shouldn’t acquire the iPhone 14 right now. You may not have to wait long; this might be the push that smaller carriers need to adopt eSIMs.
Apple spokesmen disclosed during the launch event that the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro can contain at least eight eSIMs, with up to two active at the same time. According to Airalo, a global eSIM distributor, earlier iPhones could accommodate five to ten SIM cards, depending on the model. Although not all overseas carriers accept eSIMs, this might alleviate some of the pain of losing the traditional SIM tray.
