That's what Mark Gurman says in his weekly Power On newsletter. It fits in with Apple's aim to increasingly switch to the eSIM. For users, this has the advantage that it is easier to switch providers and for Apple it has the advantage that the device becomes more water resistant and that space can be saved, for example for a larger battery. The traditional slide does not have to be taken into account.
It has often been suggested that Apple would like to remove the SIM card slot. Also providers would meanwhile ‘om’ to be. They then no longer have to send a physical card and customers can go online immediately. Many providers now allow you to switch to the eSIM and it is also widely used by people who are on vacation and want to go online cheaply at their destination. eSIM is available in more and more countries, but the providers are not yet offering it locally everywhere. The solution is then to take an eSIM that works worldwide, for example from Three HK. Still, for Apple, it means that iPhone models with a SIM card slot must remain on the market, at least for years to come.
Current iPhone 13 models allow you to use two eSIMs side by side, plus a physical SIM card. By creating multiple eSIM profiles, you can easily switch to the provider that has the best rate.
Apple will be announcing the iPhone 14 models next week, along with new Apple Watch models and possibly the AirPods Pro 2. You can watch the livestream of the event and of course read the latest news on iCulture!
See also 
How to watch the livestream of Apple's iPhone 14 event on September 7
Want to follow the livestream of Apple's iPhone 14 presentation? You can watch the live stream of Apple events on all kinds of devices so that you can see the announcements from Tim Cook and others with your own eyes.