Apple SIM card no longer activates new plans on iPad

Since October 1, the Apple SIM card is no longer able to activate new plans for iPad, as announced by the manufacturer in an updated support sheet on its site.

Apple noted :

Starting October 1, 2022, Apple’s SIM technology will no longer be available to activate new mobile data plans on iPad. Contact your carrier to find out how to activate a mobile data plan on iPad.

The Apple SIM card debuted in 2014 and was designed to allow iPad users to activate plans that included internet access, with compatibility across multiple carriers around the world. Initially, the Apple SIM card was a physical nano-SIM card, but later it was integrated inside the iPad Pros. In itself, the technology is similar to what is found today with the eSIM, except that carrier support was more limited.

The physical Apple SIM card exists in the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and 4, iPad Pro 12.9 inch (2015), and iPad 5 and 6. The embedded model is found in the iPad Pro 9.7 inch , the 10.5-inch and the 12.9-inch (2017).

All iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini and regular iPads released since October 2018 support eSIM without the need to use a specific Apple SIM card. In France, Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and free mobile offer their plans with the eSIM (or the physical SIM card).