A clever modder has managed to pull off something Apple couldn’t do by retrofitting a physical SIM card slot into the eSIM-only iPhone Air.
This bit of DIY engineering turned up in China, where the modder successfully tucked a functional SIM tray right next to the USB-C port.
The project wasn’t just a simple plug-and-play job; it required some seriously creative space management. To make room for the hardware, the modder had to bin the iPhone’s original Taptic Engine. In its place, they installed a much smaller vibration motor that still provides basic haptic feedback, freeing up enough internal real estate to wire in a SIM card reader and the slot itself.
The results look legitimate, with photos circulating that show the handset running on a China Telecom SIM and successfully placing calls. Apparently, it handles 5G mobile data without a hitch.