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yesterday

Apple Makes iPhone 17 Air eSIM-Only Worldwide, Extends eSIM-Only Sales of Other 17 Models to 12 Countries

Apple is using an ultra-thin design to advance eSIM adoption through a market-by-market strategy that keeps physical SIM support in many regions, including China.

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Overview

  • In Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands, iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are sold only in eSIM versions.
  • Outside those markets, the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are available with nano SIM plus eSIM variants, while the iPhone 17 Air remains eSIM-only everywhere.
  • In China, the main iPhone 17 models retain nano SIM support, reflecting local requirements, whereas the iPhone 17 Air still ships as eSIM-only.
  • Apple and analysts highlight faster activation, easier carrier switching, better travel flexibility and the ability to remotely disable service as core benefits of eSIM.
  • The shift pressures carriers to scale digital provisioning and customer apps as physical SIM logistics shrink, extending a transition Apple began in 2018 and accelerated in the U.S. in 2022.