China seems to be the the curious technology laggard here, and I've not yet seen the reason why. Till now, China still requires that Apple omit the eSIM technology and forces iPhones sold in HK and China to have 2 physical SIM card slots. Chinese handset makers are mostly omitting eSIM support as well, with only a couple high eSIM models between Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and others. Then even more interesting is that there are a few Chinese sellers of eSIMs data plans. Very interested to know the reason why China has held back support for eSIM...
Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
321–330 of 531 posts
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#322Why do people love Smartphones, but hate Smart TVs?
People have never had the experience of a phone that was on their side, but televisions did only what they were told until a few years ago.
They'd love smart everything, it's the predators that are the problem.
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#323Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is FUD. It’s about streamlining configuration of plans and activation and getting rid of physical widget https://www.t-mobile.com/support/tutorials/topic/esim/activa...
This is marketing. It's about putting Apple in the middle of plans and activation, and getting rid of a physical standard.
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Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#324I don't like it. Having a physical object the embodies your phone's identity is a lot easier to deal with in many ways than an ethereal emulation of said object. For instance, if I'm traveling I can just buy a SIM card at a kiosk and pop it in, even if I can only communicate through little more than pointing and grunting. Another example: I got a new phone recently, but since all my stuff was still on my old phone, a…
>> For instance, if I'm traveling I can just buy a SIM card at a kiosk and pop it in That is exactly what apple doesn't want you to do. They don't want users making deals with local ISPs for service. They want in on that transaction. Virtual SIMs, controlled by phone manufacturers, will allow them to exercise a degree of control over wandering users. If you are a local ISP, you better be part of the program if you wa…
> If you are a local ISP, you better be part of the program if you want to sell your services to apple's devices
eSIMs aren’t some apple run “program” you have to take part in.
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#325Hopefully by removing the SIM tray, they have now enough space to put the headphone jack back. (bit of sarcasm but I really miss headphone jacks in mobile phones)
I don't understand this sentiment, instead of pleading with a phone manufacturer to implement certain features why not put your money where your mouth is and, you know, buy any of the pleothra of phones out there that do have a headphone jack.
Because it's not possible. I need a ~5.5" Android phone, with SD Card, OLED, 2 SIM, headphone jack and 3 years of software updates. Not sure there is a phone like that, so I don't know what I will be doing when my current phone dies.
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#326I wonder when they’ll finally do away with the charging port then—presumably at the same time they get rid of the SIM?
Well there are many countries that have yet to roll out e-SIM, China being one with no definite timetable. Which means there will still be iPhone with Sim Slot in the foreseeable future.
I assume they want to go "portless", which means they will have to wait for Full e-SIM support first? ( They could well be a wrong assumption )
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#327We really need an iPhone alternative, android is not that alternative.
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#328Earlier quoted context omitted.
Here in Switzerland eSIMs are actually massively worse - you can't swap them around on most operators without calling (!) their support line to manually release and regenerate the eSIM token. Meaning that swapping between phones now requires calling, possibly expensive, support lines and you better hope your phone issue didn't happen during holidays. And that you have a working backup phone. And you're not in a forei…
If a sim is digital, couldn't Apple put the eSim into your 'wallet' for example? I appreciate that it's not currently designed like that, but given we are just talking bits, just because it's not a fully baked system yet, it can't be?
You get it. And this IS how it works now. You can have 10+ eSIM profiles on your iPhone with one of them active at a time. Just active the eSIM based on the country you are in. No more tracking plastic bits.
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#329Earlier quoted context omitted.
But the phone hardware also has an IMEI, which it also tells the network: https://weartotrack.com/imei-number-blocked/ So it might be you're basing your knowledge from some fictional show where the writers got it wrong.
I don't know the story, but I'm wondering if IMEI wasn't introduced because of that. If SIM offered an identity in the network, why would phone need to have an unique number?
IMEI identifies the device, SIM identifies the subscriber. IMEI is used to block stolen phones, but it's also how phones are locked into specific carriers (which used to be a much bigger part of the business model, "$0 phones" and all).
Re: Apple said to be preparing for iPhones without SIM card slot in 2022
#330I don't like it. Having a physical object the embodies your phone's identity is a lot easier to deal with in many ways than an ethereal emulation of said object. For instance, if I'm traveling I can just buy a SIM card at a kiosk and pop it in, even if I can only communicate through little more than pointing and grunting. Another example: I got a new phone recently, but since all my stuff was still on my old phone, a…
Virtual sims are incredibly convenient for traveling. The first time I used one in Thailand it was magical: no need to buy and pop a physical SIM into your phone, and no need to take care and not lose your original SIM.