iPhone 15 Series eSIM Only Variant to Be Available in More Countries: Report

eSIM has been available on the iPhone since the iPhone Xs and the iPhone XR.

Written by Himani Jha, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 28 March 2023 18:30 IST

iPhone 15 Series eSIM Only Variant to Be Available in More Countries: Report

Photo Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 14 comes with both eSIM and a physical SIM card slot in other countries

Highlights

Apple currently offers eSIM-only iPhone in the US
iPhone 14 series in the US comes with eSIM-only
Apple plans to use eSIM-only iPhones in France

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.

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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.

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Apple iPhone 15

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.06-inch

Rear Camera Unspecified + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

OS iOS

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Apple, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 14

Himani Jha Email Himani Jha

Himani Jha is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360, writing on technology news related to smartphones, laptops, earphones, and other popular categories. She has been writing for two years, and loves to explore new tech. When not tinkering with the coolest smartphones, you will find her vibing to evergreen songs and sipping on great coffee. Reach out to her at HimaniJ@ndtv.com. More