Now that the iPhone 14 collection is out, we’re finding out the entire secrets and techniques Apple didn’t talk about throughout the release tournament. As same old, teardowns that includes the brand new iPhone gadgets divulge a few of these secrets and techniques. An iTelephone 14 teardown advised us the less expensive fashions are a lot more straightforward to fix. The iPhone 14 Professional Max teardown that adopted published the costlier gadgets have a large piece of plastic the place the SIM tray was.
That turns out like an bizarre option to make for a tool that prices a minimum of $1,000. And the primary response could be frustration that Apple would do this. Then again, upon mirrored image, you’ll notice there’s no explanation why to bitch about it. That plastic quantity may have been have shyed away from, certain. However that’s no longer how to cross, particularly on this financial system.
The iPhone 14 SIM to eSIM transfer
iPhone 14 rumors claimed that some US carriers may promote solely eSIM variants of the telephone. We speculated on the time that the handsets would nonetheless pack a bodily SIM card tray it’s essential use for global commute reasonably than ditching the {hardware} element.
What Apple did used to be extra brave. You’ll be able to’t absolutely transfer to eSIM capability for those who stay the SIM tray in position. Other folks would simply use bodily SIM playing cards.
So Apple went forward and got rid of the SIM tray utterly. However just for The united states. Irrespective of which iPhone 14 variant US consumers select, they’ll must learn how to maintain eSIM-only reports.

The transfer noticed some complaint from individuals who concern about getting eSIM capability going throughout travels. However just like the elimination of the three.5mm headphone jack, the SIM card goes away. Global iPhones will almost definitely have a equivalent destiny in upcoming years.
The iPhone 14 Professional Max teardown
As we defined throughout the rumors season, putting off the iPhone’s SIM card will get us nearer to the portless iPhone of the long run. An instantaneous merit is eliminating a possible level of liquid ingress, as there’s no SIM card cutout within the iPhone’s body.
Unsurprisingly, Apple got rid of the inner SIM card parts, which occupy quite a few area at the good judgment board. Then again, Apple didn’t change the reclaimed area with anything else helpful. iFixit’s iPhone 14 Professional Max teardown displays that a large piece of plastic replaces the SIM tray slot. And it’s relatively a big one too.
The explanation Apple had to position one thing in there may be easy. The element reinforces the show phase that covers it. You’ll be able to’t have an empty area within the handset.
However why didn’t Apple refill all that more space within the iPhone 14 Professional and iPhone 14 Professional Max with a battery? Apple may have certainly redesigned the good judgment board to extend the battery capability.
On that be aware, the teardown above specializes in the iPhone 14 Professional Max, which suggests the iPhone 14 Professional has the similar design particularity in the USA. But it surely’s very most likely that each one SIM-less iPhone 14 bought within the States don’t function SIM card slot parts. It’s simply that iFixit concerned with one thing else throughout the iPhone 14 teardown as a substitute of the piece of plastic: repairability.

Why all of it is sensible
Economies of scale permit Apple to make loads of hundreds of thousands of refined iPhones annually in a winning means. However even Apple confronted production problems throughout the pandemic years, and the iPhone 14 used to be no longer spared. The iPhone 14 Plus extend is a testomony to that.
Apple used that chew of plastic within the iPhone 14 Professional and Professional Max, so it didn’t must create 4 units of good judgment forums for the 4 iPhone 14 variants bought in the USA. And 4 other battery capacities for the 4 US iPhone 14 fashions.

Apple may have performed it, however this might have difficult the producing procedure and higher prices. And let’s no longer disregard that the present financial system has pressured portions providers to extend bills already. Additionally, Apple saved the iPhone 13 value construction in position for the iPhone 14, a minimum of in the USA.
That’s any other large win for customers. And if that implies having a unnecessary piece of plastic within the iPhone 14 Professional and iPhone 14 Professional Max, then that’s the fee to pay.
All of that is hypothesis. It’ll be attention-grabbing to look if Apple ever explains or recognizes the piece of plastic that replaces the SIM card tray within the iPhone 14 Professional fashions.
Extra iPhone protection: For extra iPhone information, consult with our iPhone 14 information.