The iPhone Air is the first iPhone sold as an eSIM-only version all over the world. But a new report from China shows a modified Air with a physical SIM slot next to the USB-C port. The information surrounding this project is bleak, but it was reportedly undertaken by an electronics store based in Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei market.
The project required some clever space-saving solutions, like replacing the Air’s original Taptic Engine vibration motor with a much smaller unit that still retains basic haptic feedback. The gained space allowed the enthusiasts to connect a SIM card reader alongside the physical SIM slot, allowing the device to be fully functional.
One of the images shows the phone running a China Telecom SIM card, and there’s another image that shows it making a call. It can reportedly access 5G mobile data just fine, and even more impressively, it has retained its IP68 ingress protection rating.
Apple iPhone 17 Air
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