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The cellular Apple iPad Air 2 gives users carrier freedom with a special SIM card

posted by Luis D. / Oct 16, 2014, 3:07 PM

The cellular Apple iPad Air 2 gives users carrier freedom with a special SIM card

The Apple iPad Air 2 might not be chock-full of surprises, but the little surprises it has are quite pleasant. The only one you probably didn't hear much about is that the Wi-Fi + Cellular version will sell with a special Apple-branded SIM card. What's so special about it? Well, it gives US and UK customers carrier freedom! Since the cellular iPad is not sold with your typical two-year contract, its owners could juggle multiple cellular data accounts from a single menu in the tablet's settings.

This time around, Apple's move will let users activate or disable cellular plans as much as they want, and will also let them switch carriers at any moment. In the USA, the Apple SIM supports AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile, but Verizon is out of the picture for the moment. In the UK, EE is on board with the technology. In layman's terms, you can now activate plans from different carriers without having to change the SIM card every time. How cool is that? Apparently, T-Mobile CEO John Legere thinks the move is so #uncarrier. What do you think?

If #Apple offered one SIM that works on multiple carriers in the new iPads, they'd be so #uncarrier!! Wait.. What?! They do?! #YEEESSSSS
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 16, 2014

via TechCrunch

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14 Comments

1. darkkjedii

Posts: 30833; Member since: Feb 05, 2011

Sweet move Apple. I like this new "openness" that's going on kudos.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:23 PM 6

2. KonaStang4.6

Posts: 285; Member since: Nov 04, 2011

This is pretty sick....now if phones could do this (Android and iOS) that would make it amazing.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:37 PM 2

3. Tuxedo

Posts: 356; Member since: Mar 19, 2013

Nexus 5 already does Tmo, ATT, and Sprint.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:41 PM 2

10. Napalm_3nema

Posts: 2236; Member since: Jun 14, 2013

You're not getting it. The SIM card doesn't need to be swapped out to switch networks. You can switch it in the software to another network. Did you really think the N5 is unique because it supports a few networks? A single model of the iPhone is compatible with more LTE networks than any phone on the market.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 9:49 PM 1

4. vincelongman

Posts: 5627; Member since: Feb 10, 2013

What? Its been like that in my country for years Anyway good on Apple for that, US carriers seem terrible Though I still hate my carrier's old network (No LTE-A, 4G is very limited, mostly 3G) and high price with low data caps

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 3:43 PM 2

9. darkoman4

Posts: 181; Member since: May 30, 2014

I so doubt that. One sim to work on multiple carriers. I'll repeat that, one sim.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 8:26 PM 0

5. jesusnexo unregistered

Well seems right. Apple doesnt like been td what to do, thats why theyre the only one that you see without an apple branding and carrier bloat.

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 5:18 PM 0

6. jesusnexo unregistered

*carrier branding

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 5:19 PM 0

7. Miracles

Posts: 560; Member since: Aug 31, 2013

Apple could buy TMobile = iMobile

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 6:13 PM 1

8. murron

Posts: 162; Member since: Jun 10, 2014

Wow that is the coolest thing apple has ever done! I would never think they'd do that!

posted on Oct 16, 2014, 8:09 PM 0

11. 0xFFFF

Posts: 3806; Member since: Apr 16, 2014

Kudos to Apple and the carriers for working together to make this happen. It's a small thing, but a good thing.

posted on Oct 17, 2014, 12:29 AM 0

12. Taters

Posts: 6474; Member since: Jan 28, 2013

This is a start but what will sell in boatloads is if the cam make transferring a plan from one sim to another with a press of a button. I'd by like 4 SIM cards and one plan and bounce between phones. Heck, I might even use a Windows phone if I can just bounce my plan around different phones.