The US, Japan, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia are among the 12 regions where Apple currently sells eSIM-only iPhones. This means the phones in these regions won’t come with a physical SIM slot; instead, they fully rely on eSIM capabilities. A new report predicts that Europe might soon join the eSIM-only bandwagon with the iPhone 18 series.
Apple might embrace eSIM only in Europe, starting with the iPhone 18 series
A new report from Techmaniacs suggests that Apple is planning to include Europe in the list of eSIM-only countries. This change will come into effect with the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max later this year. The report notes that the devices will accept two eSIMs instead of physical SIM cards. All iPhone 18 series models will reportedly see this change.
The removal of a physical SIM could leave more space to accommodate a bigger capacity battery. For some backstory, Apple introduced an eSIM-only iPhone model in the US with the launch of iPhone 14. This eliminated the physical SIM tray. The shift to eSIM means users will have to activate their SIMs (mobile plans) digitally through carriers, which can be inconvenient.Â
iPhone 18 Pro models launching later this year
The global version of the iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to feature a 5,100mAh-5,200mAh rated battery. This is barely a 5% increase over the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s battery size. If the report indeed pans out, it can be a tiring process for those who frequently change their SIM cards. In fact, in some regions, carriers levy additional charges for issuing eSIMs.
The iPhone 17 series last year came with eSIM-only support in more markets, like Japan, Canada, and the UAE. In other regions, it offers iPhones with a physical SIM slot and an eSIM. As for the iPhone 18 series, Apple will reportedly go with a split launch strategy. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will debut later this year in September as usual, while the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air successor will be delayed until early 2027.
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