Apple explains more about the US version of iPhone 14 that only supports eSIM

The US and Canadian versions of the iPhone 14 series don't have a physical SIM slot, instead they come with an electronic SIM card (eSIM).
The industry sees the move as part of Apple's push to promote eSIM. However, some users in the US expressed dissatisfaction when the entire iPhone 14 version here does not support physical SIM.

Now, Apple has released a new support document outlining the various benefits of using an eSIM while traveling abroad. Apple says eSIMs are more secure than physical SIMs because they cannot be lost or stolen. The company also claims that the eSIM eliminates the hassles of transporting, carrying, and replacing physical SIMs.

Apple's support document also says that the iPhone XS and later models can store 8 or more eSIMs, but only the iPhone 13 and newer models offer the ability to activate 2 eSIMs at once. One of the SIMs can be used in the living area, while the other is for travel. Alternatively, one of the stored eSIMs can be changed to activate in the settings.

According to the support document, users can buy an eSIM from a local carrier when traveling abroad or a prepaid eSIM from a global service provider. Users can activate unlocked iPhone 14 models purchased in the US through more than 400 eSIM-enabled carriers in 100 markets around the world. Furthermore, many global carriers also offer prepaid eSIM data plans for long-term use in countries around the world.

However, the world's largest carriers in China currently do not support eSIM for smartphones. Therefore, the iPhone 14 models sold by Apple here still support physical SIM. The implementation of eSIM does not bring many benefits to carriers and does not help them attract customers. Therefore, Chinese carriers are not much interested in promoting eSIM adoption.