Chinese carriers claim dual-SIM iPhones are a sure thing

Apple is indeed planning to ship at least one dual-SIM iPhone this year, Facebook posts by two Chinese wireless carriers suggest.

A graphic from China Telecom explicitly depicts an iPhone X-like device with twin card slots, GSM Arena noted on Monday. A separate image from China Mobile is less direct, but still shows an apple with two SIM cards embedded in it.

Dual-SIM phones are rare in the U.S., but can be particularly useful in places like Europe and southeast Asia, where travelers are frequently crossing borders and may want to avoid constantly swapping out SIM cards.

Rumors have regularly pointed to some form of dual-SIM support in this fall's iPhones, but they've also been inconsistent as to which models. Some have pointed to the 6.1-inch LCD "iPhone Xc", but the technology could also — or alternately — come to the 5.8-inch OLED "iPhone XS" and/or the 6.5-inch "XS Plus," sometimes referred to as the "XS Max."

Apple is slated to reveal the new iPhones at an event this Wednesday, which will start at 10 a.m. Pacific time. The company should also announce updated iPad Pros, an Apple Watch "Series 4" with a bigger display, and more.