The iPhone 17 Slim’s design is too thin to accommodate a SIM tray, and it is uncertain if it will support mmWave technology.

The iPhone 17 Slim, also known as the iPhone 17 Air, is rumored to be an ultra-thin smartphone model, potentially just 6mm thick.

Due to its slim profile, certain compromises will be necessary, such as a smaller camera bump. Additionally, it appears that the physical SIM card tray may be omitted entirely from this model.

According to sources from The Information, Apple engineers have not been able to include a physical SIM card tray in prototypes due to size constraints, indicating that the iPhone 17 Slim will only support eSIM.

While the absence of a SIM tray won’t affect Apple’s US users, as iPhones in the US have already transitioned to eSIM-only since the iPhone 14, other countries still offer models with physical SIM card trays alongside eSIM support.

The primary reason for promoting eSIM in the US over other regions is related to identity verification and compliance. Carriers need to update their systems to support eSIM technology, enabling remote verification of user identities and SIM activation without needing to visit a store.

While US carriers have embraced eSIM, other countries, such as China, have been slower to adopt it due to stricter identity verification regulations. China mandates real-name registration for all mobile phone users, and current eSIM systems do not meet these standards, leading to limited eSIM support by carriers.

Regulators in China have previously restricted eSIM usage, causing cellular service shutdowns for devices like the Apple Watch. It remains uncertain whether regulations will change in time for the iPhone 17 Slim release, potentially affecting its availability in China unless eSIM support is approved.

The iPhone 17 Slim is expected to feature Apple’s proprietary 5G modem, codenamed Sinope, offering reduced power consumption and a smaller footprint compared to Qualcomm modems. However, peak speeds may not match Qualcomm’s modem, and the absence of mmWave support could limit the Slim’s high-speed connectivity capabilities.

Despite lacking mmWave support, the iPhone 17 Slim will still connect using 5G sub-6GHz bands, providing comparable speeds to non-mmWave devices.