The ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air will be 5-6mm thick and will likely have no SIM card tray, with a focus on how it will be handled in China, where eSIM is not permitted



It is rumored that the 'iPhone 17' series, which Apple plans to release in 2025, will include a model called 'Air' that is thinner than previous devices. It has been newly reported that the iPhone 17 Air may eliminate the SIM card tray and unify it into eSIM not only for the US model but also for all other countries.

Apple's Thin iPhone Has No Physical SIMs—That Could Dampen China Sales — The Information

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apples-thin-iphone-has-no-physical-sims-that-could-dampen-china-sales

Apple Reportedly Plans to Remove iPhone's SIM Card Tray in More Countries Next Year - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/25/iphone-17-esim-only-in-more-countries-report/



The idea that the iPhone will be joined by an even thinner 'Air' model was reported in August 2024 by Mark Gurman, a journalist with extensive knowledge of Apple information.

It is reported that the 2024 'iPhone 16' will have Apple Intelligence as its biggest selling point, and the 2025 'iPhone 17' will have a new ultra-thin mid-range model 'iPhone Air' and a revamped lineup - GIGAZINE



Additionally, news site The Information reported that the iPhone 17 Air will feature eSIM in all international models.

The eSIM was first adopted in the US domestic model of

the iPhone 14 series , which was announced and released in September 2022. Since then, all US domestic models have adopted eSIM and eliminated the SIM tray.



It is speculated that one of the reasons why the elimination of the SIM tray will be expanded to models for all countries, not just the US model, is that the iPhone 17 Air will be 5mm to 6mm thick, about 2mm thinner than the iPhone 16's 7.8mm.

Besides the SIM tray, there is also likely to be no space for a second, independent speaker.

However, one concern with this change in policy is how the Chinese market, which currently accounts for approximately 15% of the company's global revenue, will be treated.

Apple reports record revenue in fourth quarter 2024, revenue in Japan up 7.6%, iPhone, iPad, Mac and services revenue up but wearables, home and accessories revenue down - GIGAZINE



China does not approve the use of eSIMs, forcing Apple to choose between coming up with a workaround or abandoning the iPhone 17 Air in China.

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in Hardware, Posted by logc_nt