Apple’s new iPad Air and Pro models were announced earlier today. If you were planning to buy a model with cellular support, you should know that the company has revealed on each product listing that these new tablets will only support embedded SIM (eSIM) technology.
Spotted by 9to5Mac and independently confirmed by IGN, heading over to the FAQ section for the pre-ordering page for both the seventh-gen iPad Pro and sixth-gen iPad Air reveals both devices will not include a physical SIM card tray, opting to use eSIM. The information shown in the screenshot below reveals that both products are eSIM only.
This is the first time iPads are ditching the option of offering both eSIM and a physical SIM card tray in the cellular models since Apple introduced a dual option in the third-generation iPad Pro in 2018. Though the new iPad models are not the first Apple products to ditch SIM card trays in its iPhones in the U.S., starting in 2022 with the release of the iPhone 14 series, Apple axed a physical SIM card tray in favor of eSIM.
eSIM has been a popular method over the last several years, with many big-named products supporting the option for eSIM, including smartphones and smartwatches. Almost every major network, such as Verizon and Google Fiber, supports eSIM, particularly in phones.
The technology is ideal as several SIMS can be stored at the same time on one device, and you don’t need to worry about losing the physical SIM cards. It also makes it easier for a person heavily embedded in the Apple ecosystem to transfer their eSIM from one iPhone to another when they upgrade. In contrast, eSIM can cause compatibility issues, specifically if you switch from an Apple device to an Android device, as the tech is not device agnostic.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.