The new iPads are ditching physical SIM cards

Apple giveth OLED screens, and Apple taketh away... SIM cards. As spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple has removed nan beingness SIM slot connected nan cellular versions of nan caller iPad Air and iPad Pro models. First nan iPhone, now nan iPad — Apple is each successful connected an eSIM future, it seems.

The iPhone 14 was nan first exemplary to lose nan SIM slot, but only successful nan US — versions sold successful different countries still see a beingness SIM tray. That doesn’t look to beryllium nan lawsuit pinch nan caller iPad Air and iPad Pro; Apple’s UK and Canadian unit sites authorities that nan caller models usage eSIM and are “not compatible pinch beingness SIM cards.”

eSIM has been catching connected successful fame complete nan past fewer years. Most smartphone flagships support nan technology, but only Apple has taken nan other measurement of making eSIM nan only option. For astir people, that doesn’t airs a problem — mounting up an eSIM aliases transferring it from different Apple merchandise is straightforward enough. But if you’re accustomed to taking retired your SIM and moving it betwixt devices frequently, especially if immoderate of those devices tally Android, eSIM tin beryllium a existent pain. Ask maine really I know.

In spite of that, moving to eSIM-only connected nan iPad strikes maine arsenic a reasonable move. Presumably, astir group popular successful nan SIM paper and hide each astir it anyway. And successful theory, eSIM could make it easier to shop astir for a mobile tablet scheme — dissimilar an Apple Watch, your iPad’s eSIM doesn’t person to beryllium done nan aforesaid bearer arsenic your iPhone. However you salary for it, 1 point is clear — Apple is afloat embracing eSIM, and truthful are nan remainder of us, whether we for illustration it aliases not.