The rumor: Apple is preparing to sell iPhones without a SIM card slot in 2022, according to MacRumors (78% accurate).
Here’s what to know…
- “An anonymous tipster informed MacRumors that Apple has advised major U.S. carriers to prepare for the launch of eSIM-only smartphones by September 2022. The tipster shared a seemingly legitimate document outlining the timeframe for this initiative, although the document does not specifically mention Apple or the iPhone…As part of the transition, some U.S. carriers will allegedly start offering select iPhone 13 models without a nano-SIM card in the box in the second quarter of 2022″ the report says
- A previous rumor from just a few days ago suggested that a SIM-less iPhone would be dropping in 2023…not next year as this new report suggests
Our take: This is a much more aggressive timeline than I would have anticipated, but it doesn’t sound that wild considering how well eSIM works currently…at least here in the United States. I think the lack of a physical SIM tray would be a major dealbreaker for many folks that live abroad. For reference, MacRumors is 78% accurate for rumors like this one.
