Sri Lanka, Sept. 1 -- Apple is poised to expand its eSIM-only iPhone technology beyond the United States with the upcoming iPhone 17 series, according to new reports indicating the company is preparing retail staff across multiple countries for the transition.

This means that the new iPhones in some countries wouldn't have a physical SIM card slot, and users would have to install an eSIM on their iPhones.

MacRumors reports that Apple Authorised Resellers in the European Union must complete mandatory eSIM training by September 5, just four days before Apple's expected iPhone 17 announcement on September 9.

The training requirement spans all 27 EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands.

The ultra-thin iP...