Apple has been gradually removing the SIM card tray on iPhones, with the latest models relying solely on eSIM technology in some countries.
According to Apple, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max support eSIMs only in these countries and regions:
- Bahrain
- Canada
- Guam
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Mexico
- Oman
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
- UNITED STATES
- US Virgin Islands
The iPhone 17 Pro models are eSIM only in the same countries, so there are no changes this year.
iPhone 18 Pro models continue to have a tray for a physical SIM card in all other countries around the world, including the UK and the rest of Europe.
If you don’t know, an eSIM is essentially a digital version of a SIM card.
Apple says eSIM-only iPhone models come with a larger battery that fills space previously occupied by the physical SIM card tray. Earlier today we reported on the battery capacities of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max listed on EU regulatory labels, but note that these numbers are for models that still have a SIM card tray.
Apple has started phasing out SIM cards starting with the iPhone 14 series, initially in the US only.
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models sold in European countries, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and elsewhere still feature nano-SIM card trays as well as eSIM support. In China, devices support one of the following combinations: two nano-SIM cards, one nano-SIM card and one eSIM, or two eSIMs.
The iPhone Duo features an eSIM-only design worldwide.
When launching the iPhone 14 series in 2022, Apple touted eSIMs as being more secure than physical SIM cards because they cannot be removed from a lost or stolen iPhone. Additionally, at least eight eSIMs can be managed simultaneously on an iPhone, eliminating the need to obtain, carry and swap SIM cards while traveling.
