iPhone 15 tipped to retain physical SIM slot, but there is a twist

The eSIM technology is evolving and more and more smartphone companies are adopting it. At present, only premium smartphones offer the eSIM functionality, but it could trickle down to the lower segments too if this growth continues. Apple made a shocking move last year as it announced that the iPhone 14 handsets sold in the US will be eSIM only, removing the physical SIM slot altogether. Thus, it left people wondering whether the upcoming iPhone 15 series would make this move globally.

However, a recent leak has brushed off these rumours and the iPhone 15 will reportedly still feature a physical SIM slot, but Apple will change how it works.

iPhone 15’s SIM slot

eSIMs are stored on a chip that is integrated into the smartphone’s motherboard. On the other hand, physical SIMs are cards that need to be inserted into the SIM slot in order to use voice calling and data services. According to an X post by user @MajinBu, the iPhone 15 will retain the physical SIM slot, but instead of being integrated into the logic board, it is now tethered to the USB Type-C port of the smartphone!

This confirms two things - the presence of a physical SIM slot, and the USB Type-C port. We previously reported that Apple was planning to introduce braided and colour-matched USB Type-C cables with the iPhone 15 and this leak only further corroborates those rumours.

Sharing images of iPhone 15’s SIM slot and USB Type-C port components, the user highlighted that the SIM slot’s connector is integrated with the tail plug cable, and no encryption was found on the chip. While this change does not spell any changes to how the SIM works for iPhone users, it could make repairs easier. Since it is not connected to the logic board any more, changing a damaged SIM slot would only require swapping the USB Type-C port.

Do note that the above information is based on unofficial reports and should be taken with a pinch of salt. Only the official confirmation by Apple will reveal actual details about the iPhone 15 series, which is expected to be at the Apple event which is reportedly scheduled for September 12.