Okay, so I've been digging around the latest buzz about the iPhone 17 Pro, and it seems like that little SIM card tray we're all used to might not be disappearing completely just yet. According to some whispers from usually reliable sources, Apple might be keeping the physical SIM option alive in certain countries. This is a bit of a surprise, especially since there was talk about Apple ditching the tray altogether in more places this year.

Now, if you're in the US, you're already living the eSIM life. From the iPhone 14 onwards, it's all digital, all the time. However, the rest of the world hasn't quite made that leap yet. Apple hasn't released any iPhone models without a SIM card tray in any other countries.

But here's where it gets interesting: the iPhone 17 Air. This phone is expected to be super slim, and because of that design, it's almost certain that it'll be eSIM-only in most, if not all, countries. So, while the Pro models might hold onto the tray for a bit longer, it looks like the future is definitely heading towards completely digital SIMs.

Think about it: Apple has been pushing eSIMs for a while now, ever since the iPhone 14 came out. They say it's more secure – after all, you can't physically remove an eSIM from a lost or stolen phone. Plus, you can manage a bunch of them on one device, which is super handy when you're traveling and don't want to mess around with swapping physical SIM cards. For example, I remember on a trip to Europe, I had to juggle three different SIM cards to avoid roaming charges. An eSIM would've been a lifesaver!

While some might lament the loss of the physical SIM, the convenience and security of eSIMs are hard to ignore. It's a shift, no doubt, but one that seems inevitable. I think that, eventually, the entire world will embrace eSIMs, but it seems that Apple is proceeding carefully.