14 DAY TRIAL // Apple’s upcoming 2018 iPhone generation could include two different models featuring dual-SIM support, a first for the company that launched its first smartphone in 2017.
A report from China indicates that Apple is currently exploring options to offer dual-SIM support on the new phones launching in September, and at this point, the company seems to be favoring a dual-SIM dual-standby configuration for two different devices.
By the looks of things, Apple wants to use a mix of Apple SIM and a regular SIM card, though a typical dual-SIM tray could also be offered in markets where its own virtual SIM isn’t available.
With Apple SIM, the Cupertino-based tech giant can offer wireless coverage on a wide variety of carriers, at the same time giving users the liberty of choosing which service to use. Apple SIM has also been integrated into the product offering of major companies worldwide, but isn’t available in China, which means that the new tray design could be offered here.
Coming to more affordable iPhone?
The dual-standby service means that users would have to manually choose which SIM to use for calls and data, and this makes it a less convenient solution for future iPhone buyers. Apple could very well give up on the idea if it decides that it doesn’t make sense, despite the company looking into ways to tackle the market of customers looking for dual-SIM capabilities.
Previously, it’s been rumored that the more affordable LCD iPhone with a 6.1-inch display would feature dual-SIM support, as this particular model would be mostly aimed at markets where the premium configurations do not sell well. These are also the regions where dual-SIM phones are the most successful.
Apple’s new iPhone models will be launched in September, with sales to begin shortly after or in early October. In addition to an iPhone X successor and an LCD model, Apple is also projected to unveil an iPhone X Plus with a 6.5-inch display.