Apple's Ultra-Slim iPhone 17 Air Faces SIM Slot Challenge in China

Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air is reportedly undergoing early production trials at Foxconn and has moved from "prototype-1" to "prototype-2." Due to its ultra-thin design, the current prototype lacks a SIM card slot, and engineers have yet to devise a way to include one. This indicates that the device could become the first globally available iPhone that only supports eSIM. However, this design decision presents a significant issue for the Chinese market, where physical SIM slots are required for any smartphone.

The Information reports that the iPhone 17 Air prototype measures between 5 to 6 millimeters thick, making it the thinnest iPhone ever—thinner than the current iPhone 16 models, which are 7.8 to 8.25 millimeters thick. This slender profile comes with compromises; for instance, the phone reportedly features only one speaker as there's insufficient space at the bottom edge for a second one.

On the technical side, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to incorporate Apple's internally developed 5G modem. While this chip is smaller and conserves more energy than the Qualcomm modem currently used, it does not support the ultra-fast mmWave 5G, making its cellular data speeds slower overall.

Additionally, battery size is reportedly reduced, a decision that could affect the phone's performance and appeal. The phone is also said to sport a single rear camera with a large central bump, marking a departure from the multi-camera setups typically seen in recent iPhone models.

For the Chinese market, Apple faces the challenge of accommodating a physical SIM card slot, as eSIM is currently unsupported in mainland China due to regulatory issues. Experts suggest that Apple's engineers will need to find a workaround to include a SIM card tray for Chinese versions of the iPhone 17 Air to ensure its availability in this key market.