iPhone 18 will get rid of this in Europe. But that’s good

The latest reports indicate that Apple intends to expand the list of regions where eSIM-only iPhones are sold. According to a report by Techmaniacs, it will be on this list Europe. The change is to be implemented with the premiere of the models iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. These devices will support instead of a physical slot two digital profiles.

The manufacturer from Cupertino has been testing this solution for several years. The first models without a SIM card tray appeared in the United States at the time of the premiere iPhone 14. Last year, with the debut of the iPhone 17 series, this solution hit the markets Japan, Canada and Mexico. Now this strategy has to cover also European markets. Removing the physical element allows engineers to better management of the interior of the housing.

The recovered space can be used for installing a larger battery. Leaks suggest that the global version of iPhone 18 Pro Max will receive a cell with a capacity between 5100 and 5200 mAh. This is an increase of approximately 5 percent over the previous generation. For users, this change means the need to digitally activate tariff plans, which in some regions involves additional fees from operators.

The lack of a slot for a physical SIM card in last year’s series of Apple smartphones turned out to be beneficial from the point of view of working time. For example iPhone 17 Pro Max “eSIM only” has a battery has a battery with capacity 5088 mAhwhile the variant with a nanoSIM slot has “only” 4823 mAh. The difference may not be very big, but extra energy can always be useful.

The implementation of the “eSIM only” standard is not the only novelty planned for this year. Reports suggest a change in the publishing strategy of the American giant. Apple is apparently planning to divide the premiere of its devices into two stages. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models are to debut traditionally in September this year.

Some sources claim that customers waiting for cheaper variants will have to be patient. The basic iPhone 18 model and the successor to the Air version are to go on sale with a delay. Their market debut is only expected for the beginning of 2027. Such a move may be an attempt to better position individual models avoiding internal competition in the pre-Christmas period.