In other words, Apple complies with paragraph 18 of EU-Directive 2024/1799: "manufacturers are to provide access to spare parts, repair and maintenance information or any repair related software tools, firmware or similar auxiliary means."

This directive applies EU-wide for all devices sold after 31st of July 2026. Some countries have earlier deadlines, e.g. devices sold in Germany after 20th of June 2025.

I'm glad that they didn't try to delay it for the better part of a decade like they did with USB charging ports.

Yeah, this stuff needs to be plastered on billboards in Times Square.

Almost every time they do this stuff, it's because the EU is forcing them.

This is such a big win for community stalwarts like the EFF who have pushed for right to repair laws.

My guess would be: it's primarily due to existing EU right to repair laws and even more so due to incoming ones.

They even have the section for the SIM card replacement …. Which does not exist on this phone

The "SIM card issues" article is a generic troubleshooting document, not specific to this phone. (It even mentions that some iPhone models don't have SIM cards.)

All the iPhones sold in India comes with SIM card slot including 17 series.

The iPhone Air, however, does not.

(Which is technically in line with you saying “17 series”, since there’s no number in the Air’s name. But your comment makes no sense unless you thought the Air was included in that, and so…)

See: https://www.telegraphindia.com/gallery/at-5-6mm-ultra-slim-i...

The US model only has eSIM. The Chinese model has dual SIM. All other regions have one SIM tray and support eSIM.

On the regular models, the iPhone Air in China will only have eSIM, along with the European models.

This is the only time I've considered sim tray removal acceptable, because there's physically no where for it to go.

Apart from all that junk space next to the camera lens.

It was mentioned in the video https://youtu.be/woya8vjeFpo?t=455

Do we also have board view. it sound like i'm entitled, but it's much better to replace a single IC or capacitor than replacing the entire new motherboard.

That would be impressive from any major tech corp., but its especially so from Apple.