The iPhone Xs and Xs Max get dual-SIM capability

There are many reasons why dual-SIM capabilities make sense. And that’s why many Android smartphones let you insert two SIM cards. Apple is entering the world of dual-SIM capabilities with a physical SIM tray and an eSIM for most of the world, and two physical SIM cards in China.

You won’t be able to buy a second SIM card at the airport and put it in the phone. Instead, just like on the iPad, you’ll have to subscribe to a plan using your iPhone. Few telecom companies support eSIM just yet. Apple showed the logos of Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Bell, EE, Vodafone, Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Truphone, GigSky and Jio.

Let’s hope that this move is going to convince more telecom carriers to switch to eSIM. Being able to sign into your mobile plan just like you would sign into your Spotify account sounds like a dream.

If you use two SIM cards, you’ll be able to manage two phone numbers, use two plans and more. This is particularly useful if you live in a fragmented region. For instance, many countries have regional telecom companies. So you need to swap your SIM card if you’re traveling back and forth between two cities.

In China, Apple can’t embed an eSIM into its devices. So the company is going to release a special iPhone Xs and Xs Max for China. This model will let you insert two physical SIM cards at once, back-to-back.