Apple May Drop Physical SIM Card in iPhone 17

Apple appears poised to remove the physical SIM card slot from its upcoming iPhone 17 models in more countries, with a rollout anticipated across the European Union. According to Apple SEED app, a platform used by Apple Store and authorised reseller staff worldwide, training for employees at Apple Authorized Resellers across all 27 EU member states requires completion of a new course on iPhones with eSIM support, with the deadline set for Friday, 5 September.

The timing and scope of the training suggest that some iPhone 17 models sold in major EU markets—including France, Germany, Italy and Spain—will ship without a physical SIM tray, pushing customers to adopt eSIM technology that is embedded and cannot be removed. Beyond Europe, evidence points to a broader international rollout of eSIM-only iPhones, though markets such as China may retain the physical slot for now and India could adopt a mixed approach.

Apple first eliminated the physical SIM tray from U.S. iPhones beginning with the iPhone 14 series in 2022, and the full unveiling of the iPhone 17 lineup is expected at Apple’s Awe Dropping event on Tuesday, 9 September.