Apple is getting ready to release the iPhone 17 Air next week, a thinner and lighter model that will take the place of the ‘Plus’ version in the family. As the Air model might scrimp on such things as battery capacity or even a camera lens to make room, fresh rumors point towards an even more significant alteration in store.
In accordance with MacRumors, Apple may release the iPhone 17 Air without a SIM card slot, turning it into an eSIM-only phone in additional countries outside of the US. The company has actually already been selling eSIM-only models since introducing the iPhone 14 series in America, but regions such as India and China still received ones with SIM slots as a result of user requests and network preparedness.
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The report adds that Apple has begun training its staff and retail partners to install eSIMs and describe their advantages to consumers. Becoming eSIM-only assists Apple in making progress towards its long-term goal of fully port-less iPhones. If the iPhone 17 Air is to out-thin competition like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, eliminating the SIM slot might be a step towards achieving this.
But the transition is being presented as a challenge in markets such as India and China, where physical SIM cards are the standard. Both eSIM and traditional SIM versions would increase production expenses, but Apple has previously adopted this two-tier strategy for various markets.
Apple will announce its definitive plans on September 9 at the grand launch event, where Tim Cook and his team will introduce the latest lineup of devices.
