Given that there are still a few days left to enjoy 2021, it is not surprising that plans for the 2022 iPhone 14 are still a bit of a mystery. However, in the past few days, interesting rumors have surfaced from two different sources with two possible timeframes.

There is talk of Apple eliminating the SIM card slot and adopting eSIM, but is that for the iPhone 14, the iPhone 15, or neither?

First, a little background. Brazilian website Blog Do iPhone claimed that Apple is experimenting with doing away with physical SIM cards for the 2023 Pro iPhone and switching to dual eSIM instead. As the source of the leak, the website cited an anonymous British company allegedly involved in the project.

This has been treated with great skepticism by commentators for two reasons: first, the website in question is not an accurate and proven Apple leak. And second, the report only states that Apple is "experimenting" with this technology, which is not the same as a guarantee that the switchover will happen.

But there may be something to this, and perhaps even sooner than the Blog Do iPhone timeline suggests. After reporting the above rumor as "sketchy," MacRumors published a follow-up article giving credence to the initial report and suggesting that it may instead be something for next year's iPhone 14.

An "anonymous tipster" contacted the site and claimed that Apple had contacted "major U.S. carriers" and advised them to prepare an eSIM-only smartphone in September 2022. Supporting this claim was a "seemingly legitimate document" with a timeframe for the plan, but the site noted that neither Apple nor the iPhone were mentioned by name in the text.

According to the document, the carrier plans to begin offering iPhone 13 devices without an included nano SIM card in the second quarter of 2022.

"Given the September 2022 deadline, Apple may remove the physical SIM card slot from some iPhone 14 models, rather than some iPhone 15 models as originally rumored," the site speculates. The site speculates, however, that "nothing is definitive at this time."

Commentators are divided on whether an eSIM-only iPhone is something Apple would back - especially with the suggested tight schedule.

The opposing view is that the change could be confusing for those accustomed to moving SIM cards from cell phone to cell phone. In addition, since eSIM service is not available worldwide, Apple may have to pay extra to create a specific model for regions without eSIM.

However, there is a case for eliminating the SIM card slot. Apple is rumored to be moving the iPhone to a true portless design in the long run, and this would be a beneficial step in that journey. Furthermore, removing the SIM tray would not only improve water resistance and aesthetics (albeit slightly), but may also free up a small amount of space inside the iPhone.

You may think the reasoning is flimsy, but there was certainly a similarly weak case against removing the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7. If the SIM card tray is discarded along with the audio jack, it may be a small but important step forward until the ambition of a portless iPhone becomes a reality.