The iPhone 15 could be eSIM-only in a much wider range of countries

That could spell the end of physical SIM cards as we know it

iPhone 15 smartphone
(Image credit: 4RMD)

When the iPhone 14 was released, users in the USA found one major difference to the rest of the world – there was no SIM card tray. Instead, Apple opted to use eSIM's only.

It's a choice which sparked a lot of debate. Some considered the move to be a car-crash, forcing a less common technology onto users who didn't want to use it. Others, found that it was a good thing for users, offering ease-of-use and removing potential spots for water and dirt to creep into your handset.

It certainly looks as though eSIM technology is set to become the standard for a much wider array of users, then. And personally, I'm all for it.

On the eSIM-only iPhone 14 variants, users can plug up to eight different virtual SIM cards into one handset. And while I can't think of anyone who would need eight different SIM cards, having the option is always better than not. 

As someone who travels a fair bit, I find that the majority of countries are covered on my main SIM's roaming policy. But knowing that I can have a second SIM pre-installed and ready to go, which covers other locations, is incredibly re-assuring. The iPhone 15 shows no signs of deviating from the standard September release window, so we still have around six months to wait and find out.

Sam Cross
Senior Staff Writer

Sam is an award-winning journalist with over six years of experience across print and digital media. As T3’s Senior Staff Writer, Sam covers everything from new phones and EVs to luxury watches and fragrances. Working across a range of different social media platforms alongside his written work, Sam is a familiar face for fans of T3. When he’s not reviewing snazzy products or hunting for stellar deals, Sam enjoys football, analog photography and writing music.