Apple May Not Launch Dual-SIM iPhone Model in India: Report

Apple is expected to launch new iPhone models next month, and several rumours and even iOS 12 code have suggested the company is planning to introduce dual-SIM functionality in some of the variants. According to various leaks over the past few months, Apple is expected to launch three standard iPhone models - a 6.1-inch LCD variant as well as 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED models. It is now being reported that the feature allowing two SIM cards could be limited to just one of the variants, and that too in just one market. Separately, Apple's latest iOS 12 beta has hinted at what seems to be an iconographic representation of Apple's widely rumoured 'iPhone X Plus'. Also, in another report, Apple is said to be unlikely to include the lightning-to-headphone jack converter in 2018 iPhone models.

Last month, references to "second SIM status" and a "second SIM tray status" were spotted in the list of new features in iOS 12 developer beta 5. The new version was found to have a component called "dual sim device" to suggest the development of a dual-SIM iPhone model. It was previously reported that Apple is considering the launch of a dual-SIM card option for the larger iPhone model this year that could debut with a 6.5-inch display. Now, as per a report in Taiwan's United Daily News, the dual-SIM capabilities will be limited to the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, which is also expected to be the cheapest variant.

The report adds that the dual-SIM iPhone variant will launch exclusively in China, meaning we should not expect it to launch in India soon. However, since a large number of Android smartphone vendors in markets such as India and China are already offering dual-SIM support on their flagships, we can expect it to launch at a later date. Notably, there has been no official confirmation by Apple on the rumours and they should be taken with a pinch of salt.

It is worth noting that the report cites sources with supplier Foxconn, claiming that the iPhone models currently in production have four separate "codes." This fourth code would, presumably, be for the dual SIM 6.1-inch iPhone.

Meanwhile, as spotted by iOS developer Guilherme Rambo, glyphs from this year's iOS 12 beta suggest that Apple is planning on launching a model called the 'iPhone X Plus', which appears to be a bigger variant of 2017's iPhone X. He posted glyphs of the iPhone X Plus and a new iPad Pro that he found inside the PassKitUIFoundation framework of the latest iOS 12 beta, on Twitter. The glyph seems to be taller and comes with a wider notch than the iPhone X, reaffirming speculations that Apple will launch a bigger variant of the iPhone X that keeps the Face ID.

Photo Credit: Twitter/ Guilherme Rambo

Coming to the Lightning-to-headphone jack converter, 2018 iPhone models are unlikely to have it bundled in the box. Apple will stop bundling the adapter with its next-generation iPhone lineup later this year, according to an Apple Insider report. In a note to investors, Cowen analyst Matthew D. Ramsay reportedly said, "...that Apple will not bundle the DAC headset converter 'dongle' in its new iPhone models." He claimed that the converter will continue to ship in some legacy models, just not the new models.