Apple has announced the new iPhone 15 series at its Wonderlust event. The new iPhone 15 comes packed with a lot of features notably the Dynamic Island in iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, the new Titanium frame on Pro models, and the USB-C charging port replacing Apple’s proprietary Lightning port. With all these changes, if you are wondering does the iPhone 15 has a SIM card slot, you’re at the right place. Below, we have answered whether the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro have a SIM card tray.
iPhone 15 SIM Card Slot?
The answer to this question is both a yes and a no. Continuing last year’s trend, Apple has yet again launched the iPhone 15 series with only eSIM and no physical SIM tray in the U.S. while other regions will still get to enjoy the luxury of a physical SIM tray. Starting from the iPhone 14 series, Apple stopped offering physical SIM slots in the iPhone 14 models sold in the U.S. and the same has been continued in the iPhone 15 series.
However, if you are anywhere else in the world, you do not have to worry. You will still be treated with the good old SIM tray. Apple will allow you to use both physical and eSIMs with your brand-new iPhone 15. Every major network provider like Reliance Jio, Vodafone, EE, Magenta, and much more will offer you the option to use an eSIM with your iPhone 15 depending on your region.
Here’s a table for better clarity on iPhone 15 SIM options:
Region iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max China Dual Physical SIM Dual Physical SIM Dual Physical SIM Dual Physical SIM U.S.A. Dual e-SIM Dual e-SIM Dual e-SIM Dual e-SIM Rest of the world Dual Physical e-SIM Dual Physical e-SIM Dual Physical e-SIM Dual Physical e-SIM
eSIM vs Physical SIM: Which is better?
For the unintended, eSIMs are practically an advancement over the current physical SIM scenario wherein a device is shipped with an “embedded SIM” that replaces the need for a physical SIM. By large, this implementation allows smartphone manufacturers to better utilize the space occupied by a physical SIM tray and also allows you to enjoy higher network flexibility.
With an eSIM, you can:
- Easily activate your new SIM from your system Settings menu.
- It is easier to switch between networks when you are on eSIM and have multiple network profiles active at once.
- If you are a frequent traveler, eSIMs can become your best friend. You will not need to purchase a physical SIM card every time you visit a new place and can instead just simply switch to the local network provider from your smartphone.
- Also, eSIMs are more secure since they are less likely to get stolen and/or damaged, unlike a physical SIM card.
Ridiculous, they just want you to pay for service from the USA. Physical sim is so much easier
There are two distinct disadvantages with the eSIM that no one talks about. First, it’s not nearly as easy to switch between phones with eSim as it is just swapping a SIM card in and out. You have to activate eSIM on the new phone going through the processes you did on the original phone which is time consuming and essentially an unnecessary burden for consumers as opposed to opening a tray, popping the new card in, and you’re up and running with the new phone. The second disadvantage is the privacy/security of the eSIM. Users worried about privacy can easily prevent their tracking their location by removing their phone’s physical SIM card and POOF, you’re off the network. eSIMs can’t be removed and users will be always be seen as active on the network unless you physically destroy the phone. It seems to me that Apple has ultimately decided to lean away from user privacy and more toward law enforcement. There is no reason for Apple not to leave a SIM tray on US models if they are doing it for overseas models.