In theory, the first Apple-made SIM card should break the lock carriers hold on new iPad users, freeing them to easily move from one cellular network to another. Too bad America’s biggest mobile operators are gumming up the works.
SIM cards typically identify mobile devices to a particular network. Apple’s new cards, however, are programmable, making it possible to switch carriers with a software update. That will not stand at AT&T, which will lock down Apple SIMs to its network, or at Verizon, which won’t support them at all. (Big Red will instead supply its own dedicated SIMs.)
See also: AT&T Ruins Apple’s SIM Bid In War On Carrier Choice
The complications mount from there, depending on whether you buy your new iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 3 from a carrier or directly from Apple. Frankly, it’s a confusing mess.
Fortunately, outspoken T-Mobile CEO John Legere has volunteered to clarify things. Legere produced an epic “tweetstorm” over the weekend, firing off no fewer than 21 messages in rapid succession in his own (obviously self-interested) attempt to explain the chaos:
Too much confusion out there around #iPadAir2 and #iPadmini3 w/ Apple SIM … here is the way it is… just the facts! Tweetstorm to follow…
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
1/ The Apple SIM, as conceived, was about giving customers ability to choose which carrier they wanted
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
2/ The idea was to let customers change their mind on which carrier they wanted over time
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
3/ If you buy your new iPad from the Apple store, it has the new Apple SIM, but here’s where it gets interesting…
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
4/ @verizonwireless chose not to play at all….Not even on the Apple SIM!
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
5/ You can pick @att but once you do, you can’t switch again! #typical
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
6/ And if you pick another carrier, @att is removed from subsequent choices.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
7/ @TMobile and @Sprint embraced the Apple SIM concept – you get as many choices as you want.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
8/ Now let’s look at how it works when you buy your iPad from a carrier store…
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
9/ Devices shipped to the carriers are kitted differently.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
10/ Devices sent to @Verizonwireless and @Sprint are kitted with their own SIM
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
11/ @ATT and @TMobile are kitted with the Apple SIM and it is pre-configured to that carrier.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
12/ Clearly the Apple SIM is a smart move on Apple’s part – it expands and enhances their position in the mobile ecosystem.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
13/ To activate your carrier store purchased iPad on another carrier’s network, the SIM has to be replaced with the desired carriers SIM
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
14/ The non-configured Apple SIMs used in devices sold at Apple stores or third party retailers are not available to the carriers right now
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
15/ but they might be…
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
16/ It gets even a little more complicated…
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
17/ @Sprint requires that the IMEI associated with a device (activated with an Apple SIM) be in their network registry to activate
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
18/ That means an #iPad originally sold in any other carrier store will not activate on @Sprint, even if you use an non-configured Apple SIM
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
19/ that is, unless the customer makes the effort with these carriers to include their IMEI in the registry
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
20/ Bottom line… it’s complicated… and it is an emerging change in the mobile ecosystem that we will have to figure out as we go.
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 25, 2014
Apple has remained above the fray so far, which is noteworthy because it used to take a hard line whenever carriers interfered with its plans. Maybe it just doesn’t want to play the heavy.
But it’s also possible that the U.S. was never the real target for its universal SIM anyway. Maybe Apple was never after anyone but business travelers and international users in the first place.
iPad image courtesy of Apple
