Apple has always been a company does not want consumers or competitors “looking under the hood”. That is why way back when they started making the first Macintosh computers you could see them through that clear blue screen from the inside. Actually getting to the inside of the computer though was a whole different story. In any case, this is not a history lesson we are instead looking towards the present and the future. In the present, the newer versions of the iPhone actually have an integrated feature that allows you to use two SIM cards on one phone at once. So, there is an argument to be made that new iPhones are the ultimate travel phone. Do iphones have SIM cards? Most do, newer versions may not.
If you have a version of the iPhone that predates the iPhone X generation then you are going to have to come at things the old fashioned way. Obviously, the idea behind the article is to be able to give you a rundown of the things that you need to know. If you are going to go through the SIM card route. In the case of these newer versions, you are going to need an eSIM. Which, as mentioned makes things much easier on you as a traveler and a consumer overall.
- The version that you own will determine the type of SIM that you need
- How an eSIM works
- Are eSIMs available everywhere?
- Does a foreign eSIM corrupt my normal phone?
- Is there a price difference between iPhone SIM cards and regular SIM cards?
- Is it worth it to actually buy a foreign SIM card?
- Buying a new phone abroad
The version that you own will determine the type of SIM that you need
This is something that is super important. You really need to make sure that you get this one right. As was mentioned before if you happen to own an iPhone X or above what you are going to need is an eSIM. With this eSIM, you are going to be able to hold two different SIM cards at a time. Yet, they are not going to be cards per se. Usually, the way that you are going to be able to activate an eSIM is with a QR code that you are going to need to scan with your phone. If you want to know more about this process and the way that the dual SIM system actually works you can read all about that in another article that we happen to have on the site.
As far as older versions of the iPhone go SIM cards can also vary. If we are asked, Do iPhones have SIM cards the answer is yes. Actually even newer versions have the option of inserting a SIM card. Usually, the SIM card for iPhones kept getting smaller and smaller. One of the issues that you may face both with eSIM cards or other types of SIM cards is a service provider that does not have a card that you can use. There are actually ways to cut SIM cards in order to get them to fit in a particular phone. For the most part, though, you are going to want to make sure that you are using a SIM card that fits your phone without any type of issue.
How an eSIM works
The easiest way to actually describe this is that an eSIM is just a code. That you are going to be inputting in your phone and that is what is going to activate the virtual SIM card. There is no need for an actual card to be inserted into the phone as most phones actually still work to this day. As was mentioned before you are typically going to be getting a QR code that you are going to have to scan with your phone following very precise instructions. If you are able to get that done in the right manner you are going to be able to get that particular service that you may be looking for.
If we had to put it in a very simple manner we are probably headed to a point where everything is going to be cloud-based. So an eSIM in a sense is just an access code that is going to allow you to open up an account if you will with a mobile service provider. This is the way that you are going to be getting service both from your regular mobile service provider that you may have a contract with. Also, you are going to be able to activate foreign services with these virtual SIM cards. It really makes things much easier. Especially if you are someone who is using a prepaid plan or just likes to travel a lot.
Are eSIMs available everywhere?
Just right off the bat, we can say at this point in time in early 2020 when this article is being written the answer to this question is a hard no! Even some American mobile service providers are taking a while migrating to the whole new eSIM trend. So, as you can imagine it could be tough to find an eSIM for your phone to be able to obtain local data in many parts of the world. Is this something that is probably going to change over time? That is probably a yes. With more and more phones now supporting and basically living off pure eSIM data, even some of the most remote places on the globe are bound to catch up some time. Especially since it seems that this is the way that things are headed.
We want to make sure that we are able to put things into the proper perspective though. At this point in time, Apple is pretty much the only company that has totally embraced eSIMs. Samsung has the latest Galaxy running on an eSIM, but with the option of using a regular old SIM card. This is a good idea as it gives mobile providers some time to be able to adjust. The Motorola Razr and the Pixel 4 are also some of the phones that use an eSIM. Can we say definitively that is where everyone is going to be heading? It seems likely, but the progression seems to be going a bit slowly in some companies. Especially such a large company like Huwaei. This company is not so popular in the United States, but it holds a large percentage of the market worldwide. So they could end up holding the eSIM train back a bit. This is going to make it tough on travelers.
Does a foreign eSIM corrupt my normal phone?
Ideally, this is something that should not be an issue. On the contrary, iPhones, in particular, are built specifically to be able to work perfectly with the dual SIM feature. This is something that a lot of people are using without any major problems. Now, this could be a problem moving forward and here is why. As we just mentioned, the eSIM technology is not something that has spread all the way across the globe just yet. Which, means that there are probably still not a lot of scammers out there that are trying to get viruses into eSIMs and things of that nature. Apple for one has always been a company that has been pretty much “safe” from viruses and malware issues. It is probably safe to assume that this is something that they have looked into at length. To be honest there where no reports that we could find in writing this article as far as an eSIM causing a phone to get a virus or implode or anything like that.
Again, this is new tech, so you are probably going to want to give the counterfeiters some time. It would actually be naive to think that there couldn’t be any type of issues upcoming with eSIM technology. If you are scared about buying an eSIM abroad the best idea is to make sure that you are buying one from a reputable carrier from their official store. There are all sorts of stories about things that have happened to people who are trying to buy things on the streets in Europe and some places in Asia such as Bangkok. Buying things right off the street, especially tech and food is something that you really should be thinking twice about. If you make reasonably coherent decisions and you buy from trusted sellers this is something that should not be an issue. Even as this technology continues to spread.
Do iPhones Have SIM Cards? : Is there a price difference between iPhone SIM cards and regular SIM cards?
This is one of the more interesting questions that certain people have. It is hard to give an answer that will apply for every company out there that is selling SIM cards. If you are getting an eSIM as part of a long term contract you are probably going to get the eSIM for free. If you buy from apple this feature is obviously included, but actually getting the QR code could be more expensive in some countries than buying the regular SIM card. This makes no sense at all because with an eSIM all that you are doing is literally getting a code. Yet, there are some companies that are going to charge a little extra.
What most companies are doing even in the United States is that they are charging you based on the plan that you are paring the eSIM with. So, it is not like there is a specific price tag on the eSIM itself. It is pretty much the same thing that we have always had with SIM cards. Chances are you are going to be paying a little more to get an eSIM that is going to cover a prepaid plan versus one that is going to be part of your long term contract. Again, this is something that happens with regular SIM cards as well. So there is really nothing new in that sense. Do iPhones have SIM cards, still? For the most part yes!
Is it worth it to actually buy a foreign SIM card?
A lot of the sites that have similar information to what we are looking to provide are usually trying to sell you some type of foreign plan or SIM card. If you have read through some of the other articles that we have on the site you probably know by now that we like to consider all of the different options out there. Before you go out and buy a foreign SIM card it is a good idea to check the rates that your regular phone company is offering wherever it is that you are going to be on vacation. If you are going to be somewhere for a while, maybe 3 weeks up to a couple of months then the SIM card is typically what is going to make more sense. Especially since some of the rates for foreign roaming are a bit sneaky. We usually talk about the ten dollars a day rule as sort of the golden rule that American companies go by. Where they charge you ten dollars a day for service in a foreign country. It depends where you are traveling though.
The duration of the trip is also important. As was mentioned before, if you are going to be there for a long time, then go with a foreign SIM. The thing that a lot of people don’t talk about though is that for most phones getting a new SIM card means not being able to use the one you have at the same time. Of course, that has changed with the dual SIM feature of the iPhone, but as mentioned before this is not something that is available everywhere. It is a huge dilemma we have more content on this if you are trying to figure out what you should do!
Do iPhones Have SIM Cards : Buying a new phone abroad
This is one of the options that we still recommend a lot. Of course, this is something that is going to change drastically once eSIM become the norm if and when they do. If you have an iPhone it is really until getting an eSIM becomes easy to do in any part of the world. As was mentioned in a previous paragraph we are certainly not at that point right now. Also, one thing that is noteworthy is the fact that in some countries you may be able to find eSIMs being sold. Yet, they are not in sale for prepaid plans only for long term plans. Of course, if you are just traveling it would not make any sense that you would get yourself into a long term contract with a local service provider.
Sorry for going off track, at this point though if you are using an iPhone with an eSIM or even a rare SIM card your best bet may be to actually go ahead and buy a phone that can use a regular SIM card. There are two reasons for this. One, your regular SIM is going to be active. So you are going to be able to use mobile apps when you have wifi on. So this means checking your email. If you are someone who texts using WhatsApp or Telegram or whatever it may be the messages are going to flow right through without a problem. You are going to be avoiding all of the unlock nightmares. We thought we could go an article without mentioning this. Even eSIM compatible phones that you get from a provider on a long term plan are locked. So you would have to unlock the phone to be able to use the dual SIM feature. All of this could end up being quite a headache.
Do iPhones Have SIM Cards Conclusion: The Future Looks Bright
In the future the answer to the question, “Do iPhones have SIM cards” will most likely be no. eSIM technology can be a true game-changer without a doubt. In theory, it could make using your phone abroad a much smoother experience. The problem is that service providers are still keen to lock up clients on long term deals. Even though we live in a globalized world roaming is still ridiculously expensive. Having said this, that is why it may be a good idea to make sure that you check up on what the new way to be able to use your phone abroad is. Especially if your main goal is to be able to avoid all of those lofty fees that you would have to pay to be able to use your phone abroad as you would normally do at home.
Whatever it is that you are doing, whether it be buying a SIM card to use abroad it is a good idea to check and see if that particular SIM card fits your phone. This goes for eSIMs and regular SIM cards. Apple is known for being a mess with compatibility at times. Even in the chargers for their own products. Which, is actually another topic altogether. As far as eSIM technology goes it is still not as widespread. So this could limit your options at this point in time still. Down the road, though it is highly likely that this technology is going to end up changing the game no doubt about it.