iPhone 17 Air: Apple may bring e-SIM only iPhones to more global markets

With less than a week left before Apple's 'Awe Dropping' event, reports have emerged that the Cupertino-based company is planning to bring e-SIM-only iPhones to more markets beyond the US.

For the uninitiated,e-SIM is an Embedded Subscriber Identity Module or chip, specifically used to replace the physical SIM in phones. Every millimetre space is very precious for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), as it allows them to increase the battery capacity or add a larger camera and also reduce the thickness of the phone. It also improves durability, as there will be one less open space to worry about water seepage. It has the potential to damage internal components of the handset. Apple started rolling out e-SIM-only iPhones in the US with the iPhone 14 series in 2022.

Ahead of the upcoming event, the Cupertino-based company has begun training Apple Store employees in the European Union (EU) on e-SIM and be able to help the customers set up new iPhone 17 series.

The EU store employees are required to complete the training course by September 5, MacRumors reported, citing reliable sources.

In the EU, there are around 27 countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and more.

It should be noted that the iPhone 17 series is expected to come in four variants-- iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and an all-new iPhone 17 Air.

The iPhone 17 Air will succeed the iPhone 16 Plus model. As the name suggests, it will sport a super slim design with just 5.5mm thickness. Due to the design limitation, Apple has reportedly removed the physical SIM slot.

We believe the iPhone 17 Air and the regular iPhone 17 will be available with e-SIM only option in the US and EU.

The iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature a 6.55-inch display, and Apple is said to incorporate a new kind of high-energy-density battery cell, which can store more power and occupy less space compared to conventional phone batteries used in the current crop of premium phones.

As per leaked visuals of iPhone 17 models, they will come with a refreshing camera module design.

They will occupy the whole top slot on the back and retain the uniqueness of the iPhone.

Even the iPhone 17 Air will have a different camera design compared to the predecessor iPhone 16 Plus. It will feature a horizontally aligned long capsule with a single main camera sensor on the left side and the LED flash on the opposite side. Whereas the regular iPhone 17 model will have a vertically aligned module with dual-camera sensors and LED flash, the same as the iPhone 16.

And, the iPhone 17 Pro series will have a bigger triple-camera module with large sensors.

All four new iPhone 17 variants will be powered by a 3nm class A19 chipset series, which promises faster and efficient performance over the predecessor.

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