Apple iPhone 14 eSIM-only models may be sold in some markets only

Apple was among the first to introduce the eSIM facility on its iPhones. While the adoption of eSIMs has grown and a large number of carriers worldwide now offer eSIM services, it is still not as mainstream as the physical SIM cards. But Apple may give impetus to the pacing popularity of eSIMs. According to a new report, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 14 series will have eSIM-only models that will be available in select markets only.

The Wall Street Journal’s report corroborates previous reports, including intel from industry analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo, suggesting iPhone 14 will come with eSIM-only models. In other words, certain variants of the iPhone 14 will not have a SIM card tray for physical cards. Instead, they will come with inbuilt eSIM technology that lets you enable cellular services of any carrier anytime.

But Apple is not likely to launch these eSIM-only models in all of its markets. The reason why Apple would do such is the company’s doubts about whether or not an eSIM-only iPhone will be successful. By offering the eSIM-only model to a limited customer base, Apple is likely to gauge people’s interest in a phone that does not take in a physical SIM card.

Previously, Apple reportedly notified all major carriers in the US to prepare for eSIM-only iPhone models. While it is not clear if such a notice was also sent to carriers in other countries, Apple is likely to test out the eSIM-only iPhone outside of the US, as well.

What is eSIM?

eSIM is short for an embedded SIM card. Essentially, devices, such as phones, smartwatches, and tablets, with an eSIM facility, have a SIM card embedded into their circuit board. It eliminates the use of a physical card to avail the cellular services, thereby, freeing up the space on the device as the SIM card tray is also not required.

Activating a mobile network on an eSIM is pretty easy. Your carrier will give you instructions on how you can activate their services. For instance, Airtel’s eSIM services can be activated by scanning a QR code that comes with a physical SIM card. If India happens to be one of the markets Apple has earmarked for eSIM-only iPhones, the adoption of eSIM here will gradually increase. However, considering India’s smartphone market is dominated by Android phones, only some of which support eSIM, the adoption is going to take time.

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