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My bet is that this is going to change a lot, very soon. Apple apparently felt comfortable enough with the eSIM situation in the US to drop legacy-SIM already.

My bet is that this is going to change a lot, very soon. Apple apparently felt comfortable enough with the eSIM situation in the US to drop legacy-SIM already. The fact that they couldn't do this worldwide yet is because, as you say, eSIM availability is still spotty around the world. However, the fact that they're moving to eSIM-only is a huge flashing warning to telcos around the world that the time to sort out their eSIM support is now. Otherwise, they'll soon be chasing away their affluent iPhone users. I think the transition will now proceed pretty quickly. Physical SIMs have only continued on due to market inertia. In a few years we'll look back and think "remember when SIM cards were physical objects... that was weird wasn't it?"

srmarm 4y ago
I agree, I also remember when sim cards were credit card sized!
dathinab 4y ago
Appel was a major driver of esim because they are obsessed with controlling every part of their phone so having a SIM card they don't control in their phone didn't fit well with them at all. So dropping the SIM in the US is more a consumer hostile move to save a few cents and force them to use the tech Apple wants you to use then anything else. They can't do that in many other countries as neither carrier nor population where okay with accepting not having a SIM slot. eSIM is easily usable in the EU many people still insist on using physical sim cards for various reasons, similar "unlocked" phones are the standard in many EU countries. I'm not even sure it's legal to sell carrier locked phones in all EU countries, I think it isn't at least in some.
- wnissen 4y ago
  I think you underestimate how easy Apple has made it to switch carriers with eSIMs. I can have several stored on my phone and activate them with a few touches. Very consumer friendly, no need to go to the store or even shuffle SIM cards while taxiing to the gate.

srmarm 4y ago

I agree, I also remember when sim cards were credit card sized!

dathinab 4y ago

Appel was a major driver of esim because they are obsessed with controlling every part of their phone so having a SIM card they don't control in their phone didn't fit well with them at all. So dropping the SIM in the US is more a consumer hostile move to save a few cents and force them to use the tech Apple wants you to use then anything else. They can't do that in many other countries as neither carrier nor population where okay with accepting not having a SIM slot. eSIM is easily usable in the EU many people still insist on using physical sim cards for various reasons, similar "unlocked" phones are the standard in many EU countries. I'm not even sure it's legal to sell carrier locked phones in all EU countries, I think it isn't at least in some.

wnissen 4y ago
I think you underestimate how easy Apple has made it to switch carriers with eSIMs. I can have several stored on my phone and activate them with a few touches. Very consumer friendly, no need to go to the store or even shuffle SIM cards while taxiing to the gate.