iOS 16 bugs: Apple clarifies how to fix iPhone 14 “SIM not supported” error

Apple suggests that the annoying “SIM not supported”error that some iPhone 14 owners are getting could be fixed in a future iOS 16 software update.

• What is happening? Apple says the “SIM not supported”error message that some iPhone 14 owners are seeing does not indicate a hardware problem.
• Why care? Because hardware problems can rarely be solved by software.
• What to do? Wait until Apple releases a software update to resolve this issue.

Is the iPhone 14 “SIM card not supported”error a bug?

In a memo Apple sent out to its retail employees, seen by MacRumors, the company acknowledges that the “SIM not supported”error may affect some iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max buyers. When the problem manifests itself, the device may freeze and require a reboot.

The memo acknowledges that Apple is “looking into”the issue, emphasizing that “customers should update their software.”

As the investigation continues, Apple is advising customers to wait a few minutes to see if the message goes away. If this is not the case, customers should not attempt to restore the device, Apple emphasizes in the memo.

So what should I do if I see this error?

Instead, customers should contact the Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider to submit a technical assistance request to resolve the issue.

The memo did not clarify whether the issue affects all iPhone 14 devices sold worldwide or is limited to eSIM-only devices sold in the US.

It’s no secret that iOS 16 is an unusually buggy version for Apple. The “SIM card not supported”error seems to be one of the bugs that could not be fixed in iOS 16.0.1, iOS 16.0.2, and iOS 16.0.3.

Our Opinion: Why isn’t Apple revealing a workaround?

If you were expecting a class action lawsuit, Apple says it’s a software bug, not a hardware issue. Apple would have been wise not to recall affected devices. To date, no iPhone model has been recalled due to hardware issues. Maybe that’s why Apple insists that this problem is not related to the hardware?

But why, then, is the memo directing Apple retail personnel to send the customer to an Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider to “fix the problem”?

Decided exactly how? Issuing a new block to the customer? Or install a software fix that hasn’t been published yet? If there is some software workaround to mitigate this annoying problem, Apple certainly doesn’t disclose it.

Will iOS 16.1 fix the “SIM not supported”error?

The jury is still there on this one. iOS 16.1 will bring even more fixes to numerous bugs in iOS 16, that’s for sure. We’ll be surprised if the release doesn’t fix this particular SIM card not being recognized issue.

By the way, Apple, how are you doing with working from home? Are your QA teams still sitting at home using old devices and last year’s iOS?

Because if not, then it certainly is! It doesn’t matter if the quality of your software has suffered greatly due to the pandemic and “all work from home”.

Dear Tim Apple! If you’re going to build medical and automotive devices in the future, you’d better get your processes in order because your quality assurance system – pardon my French – currently sucks.