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AT&T Locking Apple Interchangeable SIMs in iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 [Updated]
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Yah, can't they see this just makes them look bad, and will drive customers away? What's the point in locking when a customer can just get a new SIM anyway? Wouldn't they choose to keep the barriers lower in that case?
The issue is that Apple introduced this new Apple SIM touting it as an easy way to switch between supported carriers without having to swap the SIM card. AT&T is deliberately locking the Apple SIM once it's activated on their network to negate Apple's intended purpose for the Apple SIM.
Nope. The iPad 2 uses a micro-SIM and the iPad Air 2 uses a nano-SIM. Just go to your nearest Verizon corporate store and they will gladly give you a Verizon nano-SIM.
apple should just mail free sims to anyone wanting to switch from at&t or else they'd be accused of false advertising
"Fraudulent leader"? Dramatic much? How do you know that Tim Cook personally endorses AT&T's behavior?
Also .. while everyone is on a rant about lawsuits and the like. Did anyone bother to see if they could get a SIM from AT&T?
Looks like it's free .. at least online, and even for a Non-Contract selection.
So if you want AT&T but want to save your Apple SIM. Hit up AT&T for a free SIM (let them carry the cost), and be done with it.
While the image is for an iPad Air SIM ... the iPad Air 2 uses the same form factor.
Looks like it's free .. at least online, and even for a Non-Contract selection.
So if you want AT&T but want to save your Apple SIM. Hit up AT&T for a free SIM (let them carry the cost), and be done with it.
While the image is for an iPad Air SIM ... the iPad Air 2 uses the same form factor.
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First of all, you don't know that Tim Cook or anyone at Apple knows about this. Endorses? Now you're pushing into hater territory. Fraudulent leader? Ok, obvious now.
You are missing that AT&T locks the Apple SIM even when you buy the iPad directly from Apple at full price.
AT&T has NO RIGHT to claim that SIM as their own, and frankly this should be illegal. It's basically property damage. You literally have to buy a new SIM to restore the previous functionality.
If AT&T didn't support what Apple wanted to do with the Apple SIM, they should've sat on the sidelines like Verizon did. By all appearances, AT&T played along with Apple in order to be included in the carrier list for the Apple SIM while underhandedly looking for (and apparently finding) a way to lock the SIM to their network once it's activated.
AT&T is shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to their relationship with Apple. I think their honeymoon period is definitely over now (if it wasn't already over a few years ago).
AT&T is shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to their relationship with Apple. I think their honeymoon period is definitely over now (if it wasn't already over a few years ago).
The Apple SIM concept holds so much potential, but this will be a piecemeal implementation that takes baby steps.
This actually still makes it easier than the old waybefore you had to get the cellular iPad model assigned to the carrier you wanted. Let's say you wanted Verizon in 64GB but they only had AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, as well as Verizon in the other two capacities. In this case, you'd be out of luck. Now, as long as they have the color and capacity you want, a single cellular model will work with the carrier of your choice in the U.S. (assuming the carrier participates in the Apple SIM system, which three of the four major carriers do).
So it's still better than before, but sadly carriers have the choice to lock the Apple SIM to their network once you choose them. At the very least, only AT&T appears to be doing this, and the iPad itself remains unlocked, so you can use any other SIM card domestically (whether it's an Apple SIM or a proper SIM from a carrier) or abroad.
If you're asking if the AT&T SIM is locked to their network? YES. So you would only be able to use it with AT&T ... but that's the complaint running here ... that using the Apple SIM on AT&T locks you to their network. So save the Apple SIM, and use the AT&T SIM (swap it out). Then switch out the AT&T SIM for Apple SIM when you want - presumably when you are out of country and want to use a different provider (assuming they don't lock the SIM to their network).
Casually (from across the pond) watching all this US cellular nightmare - T-Mobile seems like the ONLY normal carrier over there. 
Let's keep this debate rational. AT&T has offered no-contract plans for the iPad for long time and will no doubt continue to do so.
Yeah, sure, because the first thing I want to do in London is chase down a SIM card for my iPad at a wireless store.
FWIW, this is supposed to work with EE.