iPhone 15 eSIM Only Variants to Launch in More Countries: Report

Apple iPhone 15 series with eSIM-only connectivity could be available in more countries this year. A new rumour suggests that Apple is willing to push the eSIM technology on its iPhone in more countries. The trend started last year with the launch of the iPhone 14 series, which only offered eSIM connectivity for the US market, skipping the physical SIM slot. Apple, however, retained the physical SIM card slot on the iPhone 14 series for all other markets.

Based on a report from French website iGeneration, it is said that Apple plans to use eSIM as the only way to pair it to networks in more countries other than the US. It states that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models will have an eSIM-only variant selling in France. Going by Apple’s history, France won’t be the only place where this change could happen. It is said that more European countries are going to bid goodbye to the physical SIM card slot on the iPhone this year.

eSIM technology is increasingly promoted and adapted by consumers across developed markets. However, the technical challenges in the real world prevent most to use the eSIM technology and stick with the old-school physical Sim tray option. The eSIM has been available on the iPhone since 2018’s iPhone Xs series and the iPhone XR. The addition of eSIM alongside the physical SIM card slot allowed for dual SIM connectivity on the iPhone. Soon after, rival brands like Google and Samsung followed the formula.

On the iPhone 14, Apple says that customers can configure up to eight eSIM profiles. This prevents the need to constantly swap connections for those who travel between countries a lot.

Apple is expected to launch its next iteration of iPhone this year in September, however, the company hasn’t shared any details on the upcoming iPhone 15 series as of now. A recent report suggested that Apple will offer the Dynamic Island feature that made its debut on iPhone 14 Pro models on all four iPhone 15 models.