For years, I shrugged at Apple forcing users to buy the eSIM-only iPhones. It felt like one of those changes that didn’t make sense, almost as if Apple was doing something simply because it could. Sure, eSIM has its benefits, but it’s not necessary to remove the SIM tray to enjoy them.
But with the iPhone 17 lineup, the change finally makes sense. That’s because eSIM-only iPhone 17 models use the extra space to accommodate a slightly larger battery. This alone makes sense to go for an eSIM-only iPhone, but the unfortunate part is that not everyone can.
Apple brought eSIM-only iPhones for several reasons
The future doesn’t need a SIM tray
In 2022, Apple made a bold move when it introduced eSIM-only models in the US with the launch of iPhone 14. This was a major surprise at that time because it meant saying goodbye to the physical SIM that had been in phones for decades.
One of Apple’s biggest arguments was convenience. With eSIM, activation happens digitally, which means setting up your service no longer requires a trip to the carrier store. The same simplicity applies when switching carriers. Instead of buying the new SIM and replacing it, you could switch carriers with a few taps.
There was also the security angle. A physical SIM can be removed or swapped without any verification, but since eSIM profiles live inside the phone, it makes it harder for bad actors to gain access to the device after stealing it. This keeps the iPhone traceable and gives the owner a better chance of recovering it or at least locking it down.
All of this sounds great, but what makes this shift a little complicated is that none of these benefits strictly require an eSIM-only design. Every iPhone since the XS already supports eSIM, so a user could enjoy these same benefits while keeping the option to use a physical SIM. This flexibility really matters when you’re travelling internationally, especially if you’re going to a country where eSIM is limited or nonexistent.
iPhone 17 is the first time losing the SIM tray truly pays off
It makes room for more battery
As mentioned earlier, Apple has been offering eSIM-only iPhones since the iPhone 14, but until now the benefits were mostly about convenience and security. With the iPhone 17 lineup, Apple has finally put that freed-up space to good use. Instead of letting it go to waste, Apple is using it to fit larger batteries into the eSIM-only models.
According to Apple’s own figures, the eSIM-iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers up to 39 hours of video streaming. The same model with a physical SIM tops out at 37 hours. Two extra hours may not sound huge, but it’s definitely something you can’t ignore. The difference applies to other models as well. The iPhone 17 Pro’s eSIM-only gets a 2-hour boost in video playback when using the eSIM-only design, while the iPhone 17 Air manages to get an extra hour.
Apple does not share the exact capacity of iPhone batteries, but the EU requires manufacturers to list detailed battery information on official product listings. Thanks to those disclosures, we now know precisely how much extra battery Apple squeezed into the eSIM-only versions this year (as reported by 9to5Mac).
|
Model |
Regular Model |
eSIM-Only Model |
Difference in Battery Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
|
iPhone Air |
3036 mAh |
3149 mAh |
3.7% |
|
iPhone 17 Pro |
3988 mAh |
4252 mAh |
6.6% |
|
iPhone 17 Pro Max |
4823 mAh |
5088 mAh |
5.5% |
The difference isn’t massive, but these percentage gains finally give you the reason to opt for an eSIM-only model over the regular one. After all, battery life is one of the most important features for any user, and it’s the first time losing the SIM tray doesn’t feel like Apple forcing the future onto people.
eSIM-only iPhone sounds great, but it’s not available everywhere
Most of the world still can’t buy the better battery version
With the increased battery capacity, the idea of an eSIM-only iPhone finally makes sense, especially for those who are already using an eSIM. I fall into that group, and honestly, the thought of getting a couple of extra hours of video playback without paying anything extra sounds like a solid win.
However, the catch is eSIM-only iPhones aren’t available everywhere. In fact, currently only 12 regions have access to the tray-less versions of the iPhone. This includes United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Guam, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman.
So, if you’re not living in one of these countries like me, you are out of luck. You simply can’t get an eSIM-only iPhone 17 in your region, which means you either need to import one from overseas or settle for the lower capacity. Neither option feels great.
Apple is known for making significant hardware changes to the iPhone long before the rest of the industry is ready to follow. Most of the time, these decisions are met with criticism, but eventually they either make sense, or maybe we simply adapt to them just like we did with the removal of the headphone jack.
- Brand
-
Apple
- Display
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6.3 inches
- Storage
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256 GB, 512 GB
The Apple iPhone 17 is part of the company’s 2025 lineup, featuring a brighter, 120Hz ProMotion display, an all-new A19 chip for Apple Intelligence, a more durable Ceramic Shield 2, and double the base storage to 256GB.
