Does Apple SIM come with iPad Air 2 from non-carrier reseller (MacMall)?

[drjuliebug]

I'll start with the TL;DR version:

* Has anyone here bought an iPad Air 2 with wifi + cellular from MacMall?

* If so, did they include the Apple SIM card with the purchase?

The long version: I want to buy a wifi + cellular iPad Air 2. My understanding, from the Apple website, is that Apple and all U.S. resellers ship the device with an Apple SIM installed. (Unless it's purchased from a carrier's retail store, in which case it gets a carrier-specific SIM, but I'm not going to buy mine from a carrier.)

For some reason this has been difficult to communicate to sellers. I visited an Apple store yesterday, where I talked to four sales and tech reps, and only one of them actually understood the Apple SIM well enough to explain its features to me.

I'm considering ordering my Air 2 from MacMall, and the first rep who spoke to me insisted that there was no such thing as a card that was shipped in or with the device. Shortly afterwards, he said there was.

After 4 years with a wonderful wifi + cellular iPad 2 (vintage 2011) that has helped me stay connected in four different countries, I'm never surprised by salespeople with a poor grasp of iPad SIM options. I just want to make sure that if I order a wifi + cellular iPad Air 2 from MacMall, they'll include the Apple SIM card.

Thanks for any information you may have!

 

[scifan57]

One problem with the Apple SIM card is that most carriers will lock the Apple SIM to their own service so it can no longer be used with any other carrier. That was certainly not the intention of Apple when they provided the Apple SIM card. I guess the carriers do it simply because they can.

 

[drjuliebug]

I know that AT&T will lock an Apple SIM card so that it will only work with AT&T afterwards, while Sprint and T-Mobile will not. Fortunately, I have no intention of ever using an Apple SIM card with AT&T.

My main concern is whether the Apple SIM is included with every purchase of an iPad Air 2 wifi + cellular model. According to the Apple website, it is (unless the device is purchased directly from a carrier). But the people who actually sell the cellular-equipped iPad Air 2 seem to be spectacularly confused by any questions about Apple SIM -- and that includes salespeople at MacMall and at least one Apple Store!

 

[twerppoet]

Well, to be honest, If the people selling the iPads don't know, especially the Apple Store people, the guesses here are probably going to be just that, guesses. We read the same sources you do. If anyone here does have a direct line to Apples retail department they've been understandably quiet about it.

In the long run I don't think it's going to make a huge difference. At least not if you intend to get a carriere. If there is no SIM, the carriers will provide one. And the carriers that won't lock the Apple SIM probably wont' have a problem with giving you an unlocked sim to begin with; as long as you're not signing a contract where you agree to stay with them for some period of time (or pay penalties).

If you've found a good deal on the iPad you want, I wouldn't let the SIM stand in your way.

Note: If you don't intend to use a carrier, the lack of a SIM might cause some problems. A few people have had problems with constant SIM missing dialog boxes, until they installed a SIM, at least temporarily.