The entire iPhone 14 lineup sold in the United States supports eSIMs only and does not ship with a physical SIM card tray. This means the latest iPhone series has permanently bid farewell to physical SIM in the United States only. But iPhone 14 models sold in other parts of the world feature the physical SIM card slot and support dual SIM (physical SIM and an eSIM) and dual eSIMs or digital SIMs.
U.S. residents who often travel to developed countries for work, vacations, family reunions, or other reasons are not ecstatic about the only eSIMs iPhone 14. Therefore, Apple has published a new support document that explains the benefits of a digital SIM and how to set it up when traveling abroad.
Apple promotes the security and versatility of eSIMs on iPhone 14 during international traveling
The document states the following advantages of having a digital SIM iPhone when traveling abroad:
- Digital SIM is more secure than a physical SIM because it can not be removed in case the iPhone is stolen or lost.
- Removes the hassle of carrying and swapping physical SIM cards.
- Users can store up to eight or more eSIMs on their iPhones and can use two active eSIMs simultaneously.
“One eSIM for your home and another eSIM for the place you’re visiting. You can swap which of your stored eSIMs are active simply by changing your selections in Settings. This might be helpful if you travel regularly to the same places.”
- Active plans with international roaming without additional fees.
- Users with unlocked iPhones can purchase a digital SIM from a local carrier in the country they are traveling to or purchase a prepaid plan from a worldwide service provider. Apple says over 400 carriers in 100 markets all around the world support digital SIM on iPhone.
iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and later models support digital SIMs but also feature physical SIM trays; only iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models sold in the United States do not.
Although Apple says that obtaining a digital SIM or a local plan is not going to be an issue, photographer Austin Mann who travels frequently has expressed a bit of concern in that regard. In his latest iPhone 14 Pro camera review, Mann expressed the delight in getting rid of several local physical SIMs but also shared that he has not been able to sign up for a line in East Africa.
Are you convinced with Apple’s argument or do you think it should be consumers’ choice which SIM type to opt for? Let us know in the comments.
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