Apple has introduced a technology called eSIM into its latest iPhones that could open new revenue streams for the tech giant, analysts have told CNBC — but it will have to balance its relationship with major carriers around the world. The iPhone XR, XS and XS Max will all have dual-SIM capabilities. This means that a user will be able to have two separate phone lines. One will be via a traditional physical SIM card and the other will be an eSIM or embedded SIM. The technology will theoretically allow a user to change carriers without having to order a new SIM card or go to a shop. Instead, they could just sign up digitally. This is useful if you're traveling abroad and want a temporary local number. Or if you want to have your work and personal numbers on the same device. Dual-SIM hasn't really been a popular option in countries including the U.S. and U.K., but is liked by consumers in emerging markets such as India, a country where Apple has had a small market share. Dual-SIM could prove very popular for users in these markets. Apple has had eSim technology previously in its iPad Pro and is not the first smartphone maker to offer it.

But the eSIM option could open new business models for Apple, according to analysts. "The eSIM will be controlled by Apple and it can dictate which carriers to partner with, support and show relative mobile plans," Neil Shah, research director at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC by email on Thursday. "So Apple can be the gatekeeper now since it will have control over eSIM. Thus it will demand a revenue cut for the activations happening through eSIM." Shah said that Apple could also offer its own tariffs that are white-labeled by other mobile providers and charge a "premium for the convenience and ease of activating a new plan." Ian Fogg, vice president of analysis at OpenSignal, backed up that view in a LinkedIn post Thursday, saying Apple could introduce its own data tariffs "to take charge of more of the end-to-end mobile network experience." However, this is unlikely because of the complexities of doing so and the reliance on mobile networks. "Apple's ability to deliver the complete mobile network experience will remain limited even if it offers its own mobile tariffs using eSIM, because of Apple's continued reliance on wholesale services from the mobile operators which own both spectrum and network infrastructure," Fogg said. "The mobile operators are not going away any time soon. Apple knows this and will continue to work with them."

Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., speaks during an event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. Apple will kick off a blitz of new products this week, ending a year of minor updates and setting the technology giant up for a potentially strong holiday quarter. Bloomberg | Getty Images