New iPads include standard SIM card that enables carrier switch

Apple already provides the new iPad generation with SIM cards as standard, which give users the choice of which provider and subscription they want to take. For the time being, the tablets are only provided with the ‘Apple SIM’ in the US and the United Kingdom.

Apple did not mention the special SIM cards during the presentation of the new iPads on Thursday, but on the American product site the company does mention the possibilities under the heading ‘One sim, many options’. The manufacturer describes that the SIM card is already preinstalled with the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 with support for WiFi and mobile internet.

When setting up mobile internet, the user can choose which telecom provider he wants and which subscription he chooses. According to Apple, these are short-term choices without the user being tied to them for the long term. “If you’re traveling, you can choose to take a package from a local carrier for the duration of your trip,” Apple said.

Further details about the SIM cards are not yet available and it is also not clear whether Apple will bring its own SIM cards to other countries. It is also questionable whether the ‘Apple SIM’ will also come to the iPhone. Providers will not be too keen on this as it will make it easier for subscribers to switch.

As early as 2010, there were reports that Apple was working on embedded SIM cards with SIM card maker Gemalto. According to the Financial Times, providers would have warned not to introduce this, but the manufacturer seems to have made a cautious start with iPads.