IPhone Fold Will Only Use ESIM

Apple's iPhone Fold illustration (photo: x @slavakornilov)

JAKARTA - The latest rumors circulating from the Apple ecosystem have sparked another conversation: the iPhone Fold is expected to come without a physical SIM card slot and fully rely on eSIM.

This news seems surprising to some, but for many observers it is considered very logical. Because the device is believed to adopt the technological foundation of the iPhone Air which is indeed eSIM-only.

The iPhone Air has remained a controversial device since its introduction because it only supports eSIM, a decision that has direct consequences for global market penetration. This policy even caused the launch of the device in China to be delayed until mid-October due to local regulatory constraints.

A similar fate is likely to await the iPhone Fold. A popular source of rumors Instant Digital shared claims on Weibo, which was later quoted by MacRumors, that the Apple foldable device "has a great probability of not having a SIM card." The statement sounds more like an informed guess than a technical leak, but enough to warm up the discussion again.

The leak also hopes that the experience of using eSIM in China can be improved soon. It has become common knowledge that smartphone consumers in China really like physical SIM cards, but these preferences do not appear to hinder interest in the iPhone Air.

The ultra-thin and ultra-light equipment actually sold well in the country, recording it sold out just minutes after pre-orders opened. The big interest suggests that the design and new shape are sometimes stronger in charm than concerns about eSIM.

However, there are still skeptical voices that the iPhone Air is not well received. However, concrete data that supports these claims are fairly minimal. Reports of production cuts have re-emerged, a phenomenon that has occurred almost every year and is often exaggerated without a comprehensive context.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly emphasized that reading the sales performance of devices only from one part of the supply chain is the most misleading way. He likened it to trying to describe an elephant with closed eyes: the results of the description will differ depending on which part to touch, either trunk or leg. In other words, partial reports are not enough to provide an accurate picture of the performance of a product.

On the other hand, another report actually states that Apple has no plans to reduce iPhone Air production. Whatever is true, all of this information is still unable to describe the overall complexity of Apple's supply chain or the company's internal targets.

But one thing is clear: the iPhone Air is not a failed product, and the decision to just use eSIM doesn't turn out to be a significant obstacle even in a market that relies heavily on physical SIM cards like China.

Therefore, many believe that the iPhone Fold will also adopt a similar approach, and that decision will likely not be a determining factor in the fate of the device.

The iPhone Fold is thought to be an expensive device with low production volume and thin margin, a category that Apple rarely enters. This market is similar to the Mac Pro position, not mass, but remains strategic from an innovation perspective.

Meanwhile, the iPhone Air itself is a compromised, controversial device for some users, but still attractive to the market. The iPhone Fold is likely to continue those compromises: lower specifications of the iPhone Pro, higher prices, and functions that turn into mini iPads when they open, not the iPad Pro.

Despite the debate over the sales figures of the iPhone Air and the iPhone Fold's success opportunities, one undisputed fact: even Apple's lowest sales remain the standard of envy in the industrial world.

The iPhone Fold is expected to launch in the fall of 2026, and whether the device will become a revolutionary or controversial product, the global market seems to be preparing to see Apple shake up the smartphone industry again.