This one isn't aimed at Vodafone, more something Apple need to address as I was quite surprised by this.
So I got my Apple 12 Pro this week and finally managed to get my Vodafone UK account onto eSim leaving the sim slot free for another SIM card to go in.
For the sake of testing, I decide to put my Vodafone GR sim in the other slot. All fine setting them up. I get the 'Activate iMessage' pop up on both lines and click yes. I check and I've got my +44 7771 xx number and my +30 694 xxx number showing on iMessage and the functionality to mark which line you want to use for data as well as being able to set what calls go from what line is really simple to understand.
Here's where it got not so great... you have the option to toggle either of the lines on or off. It's sold to us by Apple on the basis that you might not want to have both lines switched on all the time (e.g. for people who have a work sim in one of the slots) however when you toggle a line to off. It immediately deletes that number from iMessage meaning when you toggle it back to on, you have to set up iMessage again by clicking OK again on the pop up.
It's annoying because previously, I just had multiple devices linked to my Apple ID, one with my Greek sim in so I got the same outcome (all linked to iMessage) but if I switched any of the devices off, it wouldn't immediately delete that number from the iMessage server.
Just for the sake of testing, I also toggled the eSim line (vf UK) to off and the same happened. It had to be set up again
Why this is so annoying is... one of the reasons I wanted eSim functionality is for when I travel. I regularly (or used to do in the pre COVID world) travel. In fact I have a planned trip coming up at the end of the year to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand (so far, none of them letting us in but that's a different story) so in my mind, I was going to use the dual sim functionality by having my Vodafone UK sim in the eSim slot yet use my Digi Malaysia sim in the other slot for mobile data and outbound traffic. The plus being I'm still able to receive iMessage for free as well as incoming texts.
The problem now being, I cannot toggle my vf UK line to off at any point during my trip (which previously I did at night due to time difference after receiving sales calls at 3am) as when I switch it back on, iMessage will need to send the text to re-activate itself and that'll be a 6 GBP charge from Vodafone.
Just seems like a bit of a #fail from Apple. Hopefully it's something they can pick up in a future update.
