Apple likely to finally launch dual-SIM handsets
01 Aug 2018
1
While mobile phone users in India, China and other Asian countries have been been buying dual-SIM handsets for quite some time, those in the US and other western nations are still not familiar with it.
But things are likely to change with Apple’s iPhone X series likely to include a variant with dual-SIM capabilities this year, according to market speculation.
Apple’s iPhone X Plus and the lower-priced LCD variant will feature dual-SIM options in some parts of the world, many news sites and publications that closely monitor the American giant have claimed.
The company launches new products in September and this year too, it is expected to do so with its iPhone 9, dubbed the ‘budget iPhone X’.
Web sites and blogs hat constantly monitor Apple products – including 9to5Mac and Japan’s Macotakara – have been speculating for weeks on the new Apple launch next week.
9to5Mac has claimed that the iOS12.5 developer beta includes a second SIM status. Other reports have also mentioned that the iPhone X Plus and the budget iPhone with LCD display would also include dual SIM support in some regions.
Dual SIM phones are hugely popular in India, especially after the launch of Reliance Jio. Earlier, dual SIM cards would provide 4G connectivity on one card and 3G or 2G speeds on the other. Subscribers of Airtel, Vodafone or Idea would use the 4G cards of their service provider, but could not use the 4G cards of others.
But Reliance Jio offers only 4G connectivity, which resulted in subscribers having to go in for a new set dual SIMs that offer 4G connectivity.
Of late, chipmakers have started offering dual 4G connectivity to meet the growing needs of millions of subscribers in India. With stiff competition in the mobile market, many Indian subscribers prefer to have SIMs of two different operators on their handsets.
Obviously, Apple too is keen on tapping this market and is likely to introduce the dual-SIM handsets soon.
