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Apple no longer activates its proprietary SIM cards for iPads with cellular data

<p>You may need to perform some extra legwork to connect an earlier iPad to cell networks. MacRumors has learned (https://www.macrumors.com/2022/10/02/apple-sim-plan-activation-no-longer-available/) the company stopped (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203089) activations for the Apple SIM in certain iPads as of October 1st. If you're affected, you'll have to either contact your carrier (and likely obtain a SIM card) or use an eSIM in newer tablets. This won't affect you if cell service is already enabled.</p><p>Apple included a conventional SIM with cellular versions of the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, 5th- and 6th-generation base iPads and the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro (https://www.engadget.com/2015-11-19-ipad-pro-review.html). An embedded version of the card was included with 9.7-inch, 10.5-inch (https://www.engadget.com/2017-06-12-apple-ipad-pro-10-5-review.html) and second-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pros. All iPads released from fall 2018 onward support eSIMs.</p><span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>This decision is part of a broader trend. Apple has been shifting toward eSIMs in recent years, and went so far as to kill the SIM tray (https://www.engadget.com/apple-iphone-14-sim-card-195422014.html) in US versions of the iPhone 14 (https://www.engadget.com/iphone-14-review-camera-test-sample-pictures-notch-specs-battery-life-130022134.html) and 14 Pro (https://www.engadget.com/apple-iphone-14-pro-max-review-dynamic-island-useful-always-on-display-battery-life-camera-test-sample-pictures-130020449.html). The technology saves the cost and space of including a physical slot, and is more broadly supported than Apple SIM. Still, this could be a hassle if you planned to use cellular data on an older iPad and didn't set up the SIM until&nbsp;</p>

Source: Apple no longer activates its proprietary SIM cards for iPads with cellular data (https://www.engadget.com/apple-sim-no-longer-available-cellular-ipads-163652469.html?src=rss)