iPhone 15 may hit the UK without a SIM tray

Apple is planning to axe the SIM card slot from the iPhone 15 in France, according to a new report, which by extension could mean the UK too.

The company launched the iPhone 14 handsets without the traditional holsters for network connectivity cards in the United States late last year. Instead, users Stateside register with their carrier via the built in eSIM technology.

It seemed like a matter of time before handsets in other nations follow suit. Now a report from the French website iGeneration suggests the tray may get the guillotine as Apple looks to expand its move past the nano SIM standard.

If the French iPhone 15 series does break ties with the SIM tray, it’s unlikely to be only in that nation. As MacRumors points out, the iPhone 14 Pro model A2890 sold in France is also sold in the UK, Ireland and a load of other major European countries.

If it does come to fruition in the UK and the iPhone 15 launches without a SIM card tray, it’s likely to cause some temporary disruption as Brits get used to switching over to an eSIM, rather than the traditional bit of plastic. There’ll also be upset people who just don’t like change. You know the types.

However, in the long run it’s likely to be beneficial. For example, switching networks will become more straightforward as you won’t need to pick up a new card to be activated, you’ll just need to let the respective networks know the switch on/switch off dates.

It’s also a great option if you travel a lot as you can easily switch between the networks within their phones settings rather than popping SIM cards in and out when you land in a different country.

EE, Vodafone, O2 and Virgin Media are the networks that currently support eSIM in the UK, but you can bet your bottom dollar the others will soon be getting their ducks in a row if there’s a chance Apple drops support for their current method of delivering service.

This is one to keep an eye on.