Every iPad is now eSIM-only

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 05 March 2025

With today's refresh of the iPad Air and entry-level iPad, Apple no longer sells a tablet that can take a physical SIM card. While Apple still offers cellular models of its new iPads, these only support eSIM.

If you want a mobile plan to go with your iPad, this can limit the choices available to you. Out of major mobile providers that offer data-only plans, only Telstra, Vodafone, Optus, amaysim, Lebara, Tangerine, and More have the option for eSIM. Some providers like Southern Phone and SpinTel offer eSIM on their standard mobile plans, but not on their data-only plans. Providers like Belong don't support eSIM at all yet.

Prior to today, Apple's entry-level iPad was the only iPad that still supported a physical SIM card. The SIM tray was removed from the iPad Pro, iPad mini, and iPad Air on last year's models.

When it comes to the new entry-level iPad, the other key changes include the move to an A16 processor (last found in the iPhone 15) and more storage on the base model. The smallest option available is now 128GB, up from 64GB. Despite this, the new iPad still starts at $599. Adding cellular connectivity will take this to a minimum of $849.

The new iPad Air isn't a huge overhaul either, with a new chipset being the star of the show. Apple has upgraded the iPad Air to an M3 series chipset, up from the M2 found in last year's models.

You'll pay a minimum of $999 for an 11-inch WiFi-only iPad Air, which jumps to $1,249 if you want mobile connectivity. The 13-inch model starts at $1,349 for WiFi-only, or $1,599 for the cellular model.

Both the new entry-level iPad and new iPad Air are available to pre-order now, ahead of a March 12 release date.

Apple has also introduced a new Magic Keyboard to go along with the new iPad Air. It now features a larger trackpad and a 14-key function row, and will set you back $449 for the 11-inch model or $499 for the 13-inch.

Apple's decision to axe physical SIM cards on all iPads could foreshadow it doing the same with iPhone. In the United States, Apple went eSIM-only with the iPhone 14. It has yet to do this in other markets, but rumours have suggested it may start selling eSIM-only iPhones more broadly with the iPhone 17.

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Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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