60%
Plausible
In what is clearly shaping up to be a broader trend within Apple's sprawling ecosystem of devices, the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now expected to debut as eSIM-only variants following similar tidbits for the iPhone Fold.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max won't have a dedicated slot for a physical SIM card, and would solely rely on eSIMs instead
According to TechManiacs, Apple will try to eke out a bit more space in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by eliminating the physical SIM card slot, thereby forcing reliance on eSIMs instead. The Cupertino giant would use this freed-up space to equip the Pro duo with a larger battery.
This comes as the much-anticipated iPhone Fold is also expected to debut as an eSIM-only variant, as its ultra-thin design does not leave much room for a dedicated SIM card tray.
Do note that previous reports had indicated that Apple would launch two versions of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, with the eSIM-only iPhone 18 Pro Max variant expected to sport a 5,100mAh-5,200mAh+ battery, while its non-eSIM version was tipped to sport a 5,000mAh+ battery. Now, however, TechManiacs expect Apple to do away with the non-eSIM versions entirely.
Meanwhile, as we noted recently, the iPhone 18 Pro duo is expected to sport two upgraded wireless chips: the N2 wireless networking chip and the C2 modem, with the latter bringing support for both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G. Do note that the C2 modem is expected to leverage TSMC's 4nm process, which, when combined with the A20 Pro SoC's 2nm fabrication process, could cumulatively deliver a lot of incremental power efficiency.
Elsewhere, according to the GF Securities analyst, Apple remains focused on keeping the starting selling prices of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max "unchanged or at a similar level" to those of their iPhone 17 counterparts. This means that the iPhone 18 Pro is likely to launch at $1,099 this fall, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max would break the bank at $1,199.
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro duo is expected to launch in September, and if you want to keep abreast with the latest updates, be sure to check out our in-depth rumor roundup.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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