Apple’s Thin iPhone Has No Physical SIMs—That Could Dampen China Sales

Apple’s desire to make its products thinner could dampen sales in China if its engineers can’t overcome a design hurdle with the slim iPhone planned for release next fall—it can’t fit a physical SIM card tray, which is required in China.

Apple plans to release its slim iPhone next year, alongside new versions of its traditional models, aiming to rejuvenate iPhone sales by providing customers with a compelling reason to upgrade their devices. The company is particularly hoping the new models will boost sales in China, where its sales have dipped for the past three consecutive years amid intense competition from local brands such as Huawei and Vivo.