Apple regularly gets rid of stuff from its iPhone and Mac products and most of the time it’s stuff that people use quite a lot.
The company caused quite a stir when it dropped the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7, caused an even bigger stir when it ditched the Touch ID home button for Face ID from the iPhone X. The company had spent years removing all of the useful ports from MacBooks before adding a few back in with the latest MacBook Pro models.
While Apple seems to be over its minimisation of the Mac line, a new and somewhat sketchy rumour suggests the culling might not be over for the iPhone line.
The rumour, which comes from a source we’re not familiar with, suggests the iPhone 15 Pro might be the first ever iPhone without an actual, physical SIM card slot. Apple has added eSIM compatibility to the iPhone with the iPhone 13 phones offering dual eSIM functionality.
The report from BlogDoiPhone (via 9to5Mac) says Apple will be ready to ditch the physical SIM port by the time its 2023 iPhone Pro release comes around.
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The translated comments, which come from an internal source, say: “Apple has long been experimenting with ways to no longer need the SIM card (known in Brazil as the “carrier chip“), implementing eSIM technology. But according to internal sources of the iPhone Blog, from 2023 the Pro version of the iPhone may already start coming without any input to the physical SIM, working only with 2 eSIM slots.”
While this rumour appears to be quite spurious, it would make perfect sense for Apple to get rid of the physical card and push the industry forward into the plastic-free future. While this is certainly possible, we’re treating this rumour with a healthy punch of salt.
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Apple is also thought to be attempting to get rid of all ports from the iPhone, and this would free up some all important space for a larger battery or an under-display Touch ID sensor. Maybe this rumour is one to keep an eye on.
What part of the iPhone do you think is most dispensable, if any at all? Let us know @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
