As noted above- ATT was locking the Apple sim. It was a physical sim card. I would not expect that to apply to dual sim UNLESS you have a Next phone. Those phones are locked and can only be used with ATT. I would have hoped that Apple could have negotiated a better solution, but Apple's support doc notes that for dual sim to fully work the phone must be unlocked.
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eSIM Functionality Available in iOS 12.1, But Carrier Support is Required
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When Apple was first exploring eSIM many years ago, it was reported the carriers wanted some sort of kickback or discount on the hardware in order to provide support for eSIM on their end. So Apple first rolled it out in iPads to test the waters and see which carriers would play along.
At the moment Apple needs to have a different inventory tracking SKU for every different carrier around the world, since the SIMs are installed at the factory. Not to mention the forecasting and logistical nightmare.
Example inventory tracking SKUs: 150 countries * average 3 carriers each * 3 different flash sizes * 4 different models at any given time * 3 different colors = 16200 inventory tracking SKUs.
Theoretically, Apple could significantly reduce the number of inventory tracking SKUs by eliminating SKUs for each separate country/carrier. Example: 3 separate hardware types (CDMA, GSM, China TD-SCDMA) * 3 flash sizes * 4 different models at one time * 3 different colors = 108 inventory tracking SKUs.
At the moment Apple needs to have a different inventory tracking SKU for every different carrier around the world, since the SIMs are installed at the factory. Not to mention the forecasting and logistical nightmare.
Example inventory tracking SKUs: 150 countries * average 3 carriers each * 3 different flash sizes * 4 different models at any given time * 3 different colors = 16200 inventory tracking SKUs.
Theoretically, Apple could significantly reduce the number of inventory tracking SKUs by eliminating SKUs for each separate country/carrier. Example: 3 separate hardware types (CDMA, GSM, China TD-SCDMA) * 3 flash sizes * 4 different models at one time * 3 different colors = 108 inventory tracking SKUs.
I carry two phones. While it would be nice to be able to send iMessage on the second line, it isn't a dealbreaker for me. A lot of the other people I contact are on Android anyway.
iMessage is just software. They can make it support both numbers easily.
Let’s see what happens with this.
The first one is not correct. You can have two lines with cell data. But you can only use one data line at a time. GSM and LTE both allow you to use data and voice at the same time. In fact most LTE calls now are LTE over data and are in reality data.
As I noted above- The limits on iMessage and Facetime are set by Apple and they can change them at any time. We can support more than one email address now, no reason that they can not add 2 phone numbers.
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It's superior because physical SIMs are far more prevalent. This is a 2018 iPhone, not a 2023 iPhone.
When iPhone 13 arrives in 2023, few people will mind. But in the meanwhile, a dual-SIM tray is better.
Apple's iOS 12.1 beta introduces support for the eSIM, aka a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan from your carrier without needing to use a physical SIM card. In the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, the eSIM pairs with the included nano-SIM to enable dual-SIM functionality.
The eSIM in the new iPhone XS and XS Max was not available at launch, with Apple promising to activate it in a later update, which appears to be iOS 12.1.
eSIM settings are available by going to the Cellular section of the Settings app and choosing "Add Cellular Plan," which is the method used to add another cellular provider via the eSIM.
All contacts in the Contacts app also now list a "default [P] Primary" setting in iOS 12.1 which lets you change the default phone number that you contact each person with if you have multiple phone numbers.
According to German site iPhone-Ticker.de, some Deutsche Telekom users are able to use the eSIM feature in iOS 12.1 to add two SIMs to their iPhones. Carriers need to implement the eSIM feature before it will work, and Apple offers a list of carriers that plan to offer the eSIM it in a support document.
In the United States, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon plan to offer eSIM support, but the carriers likely won't roll out the feature until iOS 12.1 launches to the public.
Dual-SIM support with the eSIM is useful for people who use two cellular plans at once, such as for home or work, and it is also beneficial when traveling.
As Apple outlines on its website, both numbers used with a dual-SIM iPhone can make and receive voice calls and SMS/MMS messages, but an iPhone can only use one cellular data network at a time. That means if one number is on a call, a call to the other number will go to voicemail.
Both networks are active at once, however, and with dual-SIM enabled, you will see two carrier signal readings in the Control Center.
eSIM support will be available to everyone with an iPhone XS, XS Max (and future XR) when the iOS 12.1 update launches to the public. We've only had one beta of iOS 12.1 so far, so there is still a ways to go.
The iOS 12.1 update also includes support for Group FaceTime for up to 32 people, a new real-time Depth Control slider that can be used when taking Portrait Mode photos, and, with watchOS 5.1, new color watch face options in the Apple Watch app.
Article Link: eSIM Functionality Available in iOS 12.1, But Carrier Support is Required
If you never plan on utilising the esim due to carrier restraints can you disable the default primary field in the contacts app?
There will be a day when all physical SIM cards are obsolete and when you land in country X you get a popup asking if you want an eSim number for the country you are now in. And of course with no impact to other plans from your home country and any other countries already stored as other eSim numbers. And for each eSim/Country plan stored on your phone, a simple popup for each number that shows how much you have left for text, data, voice. With LTE adopted almost globally now, we are almost there.
Not true. iMessage supports multiple phone numbers. Simply sign in to the same iCloud account on multiple phones and all the numbers will be usable in iMessage on all phones signed in.
That day isn't here yet, certainly not in the next couple of years.
It would be like Apple removing the Lightning port for charging. Someday, wireless charging will be available at the room-level, but not in the next few years.
Most of us have never been able to see that. (We only have one phone.) If that is true, then there will not be any problem.
I don't believe that Apple has ever publicly defined this. As I noted to ChromeAce in my reply, most of us have never been able to see this because we only have one phone. But I can see Apple planing this out at the time they developed these protocols and so I believe.
EDIT: here are links to examples of this working-
https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-have-two-phone-numbers-under-one-Apple-ID
https://apple.stackexchange.com/que...ou-add-more-than-one-phone-number-on-imessage
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Question - will this impact battery life having two "LTE" running at the same time? Was curious...
I can see this being useful when traveling oversea. I wondered if my AT&T iPhone XS MAX can support both CDMA and GSM for eSIM?
[doublepost=1537991754][/doublepost]I read this https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044 and thought about Messages app. This can be challenging if the UI isn't friendly...
I can see this being useful when traveling oversea. I wondered if my AT&T iPhone XS MAX can support both CDMA and GSM for eSIM?
[doublepost=1537991754][/doublepost]I read this https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044 and thought about Messages app. This can be challenging if the UI isn't friendly...
This is not true. I have 2 phones on the same iCloud account and both have iMessage enabled. I can get iMessages to my UK# on my US phone and vice versa.
I think it's limited for those who want to use it for travel. For those who want to combine two iPhone's into one, it's perfect -or close enough to it.
[doublepost=1537992254][/doublepost]
I did not know this until today when it was pointed out by ChromeAce. But above I have posted links that prove it is true to the doubters.
I routinely carry two handsets for work, and sometimes one for personal stuff. For the two work lines, my clients only get one line that my vendors and suck-u..., er, marketers get. I'm looking forward to an active dual-SIM iPhone, just bought a couple of S Max handsets two days ago.
About the dual-VZW bit, I'd hazard a wager that most haven't heard about VZW's newish invite-only "MVNO" that, to me - with an invite in hand - appears to be LTE-only, Visible. I installed the supplied SIM in an VZW iP6 and found it was LTE-only - there's still a few remote locations I visit that still get 1X only and rarely 3G CDMA while traveling to/from, either VZW or roaming on USCC, while the Visible line only registered LTE or "No Service". The Visible line never seemed throttled in native territory while it was much slower while roaming in USCC territory, but it was on-par for voice and data as my VZW 6S in both VZW and USCC. I still have the Visible SIM in that iP6, and I'll be heading to a site later this week that will give me a chance to see if the S Max gets a signal where my trusty 6S+ would get at least 1X. Note: I have zero issues with my two Max handsets, so don't go picking that nit...
About the dual-VZW bit, I'd hazard a wager that most haven't heard about VZW's newish invite-only "MVNO" that, to me - with an invite in hand - appears to be LTE-only, Visible. I installed the supplied SIM in an VZW iP6 and found it was LTE-only - there's still a few remote locations I visit that still get 1X only and rarely 3G CDMA while traveling to/from, either VZW or roaming on USCC, while the Visible line only registered LTE or "No Service". The Visible line never seemed throttled in native territory while it was much slower while roaming in USCC territory, but it was on-par for voice and data as my VZW 6S in both VZW and USCC. I still have the Visible SIM in that iP6, and I'll be heading to a site later this week that will give me a chance to see if the S Max gets a signal where my trusty 6S+ would get at least 1X. Note: I have zero issues with my two Max handsets, so don't go picking that nit...
And likely the US Carriers will want to charge $30 to move the number to eSim or when you switch phones, rather than just changing the SIM.
I've been doing this for a few years. If a new iMessage comes to my UK# and I reply on my US phone, as long as it there isn't already an existing thread w/ that person, it will reply w/ the UK#. If I *start* a thread on my US phone, it will use that iMessage number. But you can change it if needed in settings. It works very well once you get the hang of it.
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Verizon has said they will be supporting eSIM. So you will be able to program it to them.
Why not?
I’m planning on activating the esim on my iPhone and chucking the physical sim.
I going to leave the sim free, so that when I travel I can just insert a local sim for data.
Apple released a support document that states you can store multiple esim into the phone and switch between them.
so the articles mentions this:
As Apple outlines on its website, both numbers used with a dual-SIM iPhone can make and receive voice calls and SMS/MMS messages, but an iPhone can only use one cellular data network at a time. That means if one number is on a call, a call to the other number will go to voicemail.
I currently have two lines with AT&T. One number my clients have and the other is for personal use. Is the article saying that if I'm on the phone with Line 1 that Line 2 will go directly to voicemail?
My phones use the same cellular data network so I'm not sure why the article mentions that the other line will go to voicemail. I understand you can only use one data plan (but for my use, it is the same data plan that is shared between both lines).
As Apple outlines on its website, both numbers used with a dual-SIM iPhone can make and receive voice calls and SMS/MMS messages, but an iPhone can only use one cellular data network at a time. That means if one number is on a call, a call to the other number will go to voicemail.
I currently have two lines with AT&T. One number my clients have and the other is for personal use. Is the article saying that if I'm on the phone with Line 1 that Line 2 will go directly to voicemail?
My phones use the same cellular data network so I'm not sure why the article mentions that the other line will go to voicemail. I understand you can only use one data plan (but for my use, it is the same data plan that is shared between both lines).
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