eSIM Only Timeline: When Phones Dropped the SIM Tray (Infographic)

The iPhone went eSIM only in September 2022, when the iPhone 14 range removed the SIM tray from US models. The first iPhone with no SIM tray anywhere in the world was the iPhone Air, announced on 9 September 2025, followed by the iPhone Duo, announced on 9 September 2026 and on sale in the UK from 23 October 2026. This eSIM only timeline sets out those steps alongside the networks and standards that made them possible, from 2021 to today.

Last checked: 27 October 2026. Sources are Ice Group, Apple Newsroom, Apple Support, Thales, Vodafone, 9to5Google, ISPreview and Google. Phone specs vary by country, so check the maker's spec page for the model sold where you live.

Key figures

• 15 November 2021: Ice launches NiceMobil in Norway, an app-only brand that uses eSIM only.
• September 2022: the iPhone 14 range removes the SIM tray from US models.
• February 2023: Thales and Qualcomm announce the first GSMA-certified iSIM for a Snapdragon smartphone chip.
• December 2024: VOXI (Vodafone) launches eSIM for its customers.
• August 2025: Pixel 10, 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL drop the SIM tray in the US.
• 9 September 2025 and 2 March 2026: Apple announces the iPhone Air, eSIM only worldwide, with iPhone 17 models eSIM only in more countries, then the iPhone 17e, eSIM only in the same countries as iPhone 17.
• 28 May 2026 and August 2026: Monzo announces eSIM-only mobile plans in the UK, and the Pixel 11 series is eSIM only in the US, except the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.
• 9 September and 23 October 2026: Apple announces the iPhone Duo, its first foldable, with an eSIM-only design worldwide, plus iPhone 18 Pro. The iPhone Duo goes on sale in the UK and other first-wave countries on 23 October.

What this means

The pattern on the timeline is clear: phone makers lead and networks follow. For three years the trayless phones were US models only, and the switch to worldwide eSIM only started with the iPhone Air in 2025. In the UK, only the iPhone Air and iPhone Duo have no tray, so most UK buyers still have a choice for now.

If your next phone is eSIM only, you cannot put a local SIM card in it abroad, so a travel eSIM is the way to add local data. See our regional and global eSIMs, and check your model with our compatibility checker.

Read the full guide

Our full guide to eSIM-only phones and networks in 2026 explains which models are eSIM only in which countries, where UK networks stand and the downsides to know about. For a model-by-model table, see our list of eSIM-only phones, and for Apple's foldable, our iPhone Duo eSIM guide.

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<a href="https://simplysim.co.uk/article/esim-only-timeline-infographic"><img src="https://simplysim.co.uk/img/articles/infographics/esim-only-phones-timeline.png" alt="Timeline of the move to eSIM-only phones and networks, 2021 to 2026" width="1200" height="1160"></a><br>Infographic by <a href="https://simplysim.co.uk/article/esim-only-timeline-infographic">SimplySIM</a>

FAQs

When did the iPhone go eSIM only?

In the US, with the iPhone 14 range in September 2022. Worldwide, the first was the iPhone Air, announced on 9 September 2025.

Which iPhones are eSIM only in the UK?

The iPhone Air and the iPhone Duo, which are eSIM only worldwide. The iPhone Duo went on sale in the UK on 23 October 2026.

When did Google Pixel drop the SIM tray?

In August 2025, the Pixel 10, 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL dropped the SIM tray in the US. The Pixel 11 series followed in August 2026, again in the US, except the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.

What was the first eSIM-only mobile brand?

The earliest on this timeline is NiceMobil, launched by Ice in Norway on 15 November 2021 as an app-only brand that uses eSIM only.