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Apple includes its own SIM card with cellular iPad Air 2, will allow switching carriers on a whim

Screen Shot 2014-10-16 at 3.15.08 PM

Since the cellular model of the iPad isn’t subject to typically two-year contracts, users have always been free to start or end pre-paid cellular data plans at will from the device’s settings. In the past, however, this meant buying your iPad from one carrier and being locked into that carrier’s plans.

With tomorrow’s launch of the iPad Air 2, however, Apple is changing that by including its own SIM card with each unit. This SIM card will work with multiple US carriers—AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile—and allow users to not only enable or disable a cellular plan as they see fit, but also switch back and forth between carriers to find the plan that works best for them at the moment.

For some reason, Verizon isn’t supported on the Apple SIM, which brings into question how the carrier will be supported at all. Sprint, which uses CDMA technology like Verizon, is compatible with the new SIM, so it’s quite curious that Verizon doesn’t appear on the list. It’s possible that Verizon just wouldn’t get on board with the Apple SIM idea and will require users to get a SIM from them instead.

The iPad Air 2 goes on sale tomorrow. The mostly-unchanged iPad mini 3 will also ship with an Apple SIM.

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Comments

  1. carpetbomberz - 9 years ago

    Now that is interesting in the extreme. It’s a kind of unlocked device that can be brought up on any GSM carrier network. Very cool.

  2. Justin Simcox - 9 years ago

    Where did you see this information? Based on this link, http://www.apple.com/ipad/LTE/, it looks like there is just one model and it does support Verizon. Perhaps it’s the same model but you need to get a Verizon SIM card instead of using the Apple SIM Card?

    • Lukas Brüderlin - 9 years ago

      yes, that seems the case… the list you provide is only the technical compatibility… but with Apple SIM card you won’t need to Switch SIM card to switch between ATnT, Sprint and T-Mobile.

  3. taoprophet420 - 9 years ago

    Wonder if the AT&T next and other installment plans will have the Apple SIM or network provided SIM’s

  4. ron837192 - 9 years ago

    Lack of Verizon support has nothing to do with CDMA … they just don’t want to support Apple’s generic SIM card. This generic SIM card seems like a big deal to me … I’m surprised it wasn’t mentioned.

    • George Pollen - 9 years ago

      I believe network performance on CDMA is not just about the SIM installed but also the device’s firmware. Like every CDMA device I’ve ever known, the iPad with Apple’s SIM will have firmware storage for only one CDMA network: Sprint’s.

  5. ron837192 - 9 years ago

    I wonder if this will ever come to the iPhone as well. I’m sure that Apple would love to have just a single iPhone model in a particular configuration and to not have to worry about having a separate model for each carrier.

    • It wound’t change anything for iPhone hardware the same way it doesn’t change anything for iPad hardware. Only Verizon uses a different iPhone right now and that’s because of CDMA support – everyone else can use a GSM equipped model, with LTE support being the same 20 bands on everything/everywhere.

  6. George Pollen - 9 years ago

    Can Apple’s new SIM be purchased separately? Seems like the greatest flexibility+network performance might be to buy the Verizon iPad and Apple’s SIM.

  7. Who will be the first person to try this SIM in an iPhone to see if the same quick network switch UI shows up (and works)?

  8. patstar5 - 9 years ago

    Now all the manufacturs need to do this. Apple should make iPod touch with sim card like this for data.

  9. Ultramet (@ultramet) - 9 years ago

    I have one of these ATT unlimited LTE plans (when this was offered during the 1st month the original iPad was released). Does anyone know if I can take out the Apple SIM and just use my ATT SIM with the unlimited plan in these newer iPads or are they “locked” to the new Apple SIM. Thanks

  10. Pavel Boss - 9 years ago

    I have just noticed that the older version of iPad Air 128gb was running for $800. While the ipad air 2 is only for $700!

  11. verizon2828 - 9 years ago

    So I ordered the iPad Air 2 with LTE and would like to use the Verizon network. I currently have an iPad Air with LTE on Verizon under a monthly pre-paid options (2GB for $30). Would I be able to take the SIM from the old iPad Air and put it in the new iPad Air 2 and make it work? I’ve never really dealt with SIMs on the Verizon network.

  12. Chin Chin Mizushima - 9 years ago

    I wish there is also like this in japan and philippines, i hate changing sims all the time