And it still doesn't work properly with every carrier. I bought a new, unlocked iPad Mini 4 that came with the Apple SIM, and no carrier would activate it. I finally got it working on Ting after getting one of Ting's SIM cards and lots of back-and-forth between Ting and Apple Support.
I think it is only intended to work with Apple’s partner carriers. I wanted to add my iPad to my AT&T data service and I could not use the built in SIM. Instead AT&T sent one for free. The iPad has a separate SIM slot and I imagine it will have to until the built in SIM is truly universal.
> I think it is only intended to work with Apple’s partner carriers.
Unfortunately it's not advertised like that. Based on Apple's literature one should be able to activate the Apple SIM (in the US) on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or virtually any MVNO. None of the above major carriers wanted anything to do with my iPad while the Apple SIM was installed; none recognized it as a valid SIM. AT&T insisted on selling me their SIM and a weird plan that included voice and SMS even though it's a data-only device. The rest said the Apple SIM was not able to work on their service unless I bought the iPad with a plan from them at their store and the Apple SIM came locked to that plan (I bought it new but unlocked directly from Apple).
Ting was the only carrier willing to send me a free SIM, work with Apple on my behalf to get the device provisioned, and sell me data-only service.
> The iPad has a separate SIM slot and I imagine it will have to until the built in SIM is truly universal.
Or you know... In the rest of the world, people actually ask for SIM cards, physical cards, because they are portable, and 100% certifiably decouples your device from your cellular provider.
Why on earth would I have something hidden inside... Which may or may not be interoperable... Which I cannot take and use with other devices if I need to? Which I cannot easily replace with a new one, from any carrier in the world?
Because SIM cards are stupid and Apple is trying to encourage carriers to stop requiring them. You should be able to switch providers virtually, so for example you could have several active contracts.
Even then, this isn't new. The SIM toolkit has had this capability since the early noughties at least ... credit to Apple for actually getting the operators on board though!
Just to be clear, this isn't so much to do with any intelligence "in the SIM" - it's more to do with the operators allowing a SIM like this to be used.
I wonder what the kickback is for them in this instance ... telcos typically guard their subscribers jealously. Here you're opening up to allowing your subscribers use your competitors networks. Are they getting higher tariffs or is there some kind of a special service charge for this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_SIM