Despite all the advantages, new technologies do not always succeed in quickly displacing old ones. This is especially true for SIM cards that have not changed for years despite the advent of new, more compact formats. Now, the new eSIM standard allows you to completely abandon the physical card, replacing it with a virtual one.

What is eSIM?

The embedded SIM is a 5 × 5 mm chip embedded in a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or other gadgets. It is soldered into the motherboard during production and saves SIM card data. eSIM can work without or with a physical SIM card. The owner of a gadget with such a chip can switch between several numbers without the need to open the slot and change SIM cards manually. To use the technology, you need a device with a built-in SIM card and a mobile operator that supports eSIM.

Major Pros of eSIM

The positive features of eSim include:

·       eSIM takes up three times less space compared to nano-SIM cards. Thanks to this, manufacturers can make devices thinner. This applies to both phones and smartwatches. A phone without holes will be more protected from moisture and dust. eSIM is more resistant to shock and moisture, so the phones of the future will be more reliable.

·       To change the operator, you do not need to receive a new SIM-card; this can be done in the phone settings. When concluding a contract with a new operator, you do not need to go to his office - an electronic application is enough.

·       Up to five virtual SIM cards can be stored on one eSIM at a time. This is beneficial for those who have several numbers for work and personal calls, and those who buy a local number abroad so as not to pay for roaming. A portable modem with eSim can be a perfect gadget for mobile professionals. At the same time, only one can be active at a time.

·       eSIM does not need to be inserted manually.

·       eSIM and SIM can be used in parallel on the same device. This means that at the same time a physical card and one of the numbers on eSIM will work.

·       The new device can be automatically configured to the previous number by registering it in your mobile account. So you can, for example, use one number on the phone and smartwatch.

·       When the phone is stolen, the thief will not be able to get rid of the SIM card and hide the location of the phone. To upload a new profile, he/she will have to enter a password.

·       eSIM allows you to remotely configure any gadget. This can lead to a revolution in the world of the Internet of things (a network of devices and objects with sensors that are connected to the Internet).

List of eSIM Devices

Today, eSIM is most actively introduced in Apple gadgets. It is found in the latest generations of Apple phones and tablets:

1.     iPhone XS, XR (iOS 12.1), XS MAX

2.     iPhone 11, 11 PRO, 11 PRO MAX

3.     iPad 3rd generation, PRO, AIR, MINI 5

The search giant Google also embeds eSIM on its phones. In 2017, its flagship Google Pixel 2 became the first smartphone designed for an eSIM card (through the virtual operator Google Fi, which is why eSIM worked only in the United States). eSIM is now embedded in Google PIXEL 2, 3, 3 XL, and 4, 4 XL. eSIM is also set in the fifth-generation Microsoft Surface Pro transformer tablet and the cellular versions of Huawei Watch 2 (the latter also has a version with a regular nano-SIM). 

Interesting fact: Samsung was the first company to introduce eSim into their gadgets. They did it for the Gear S2 Classic 3G smartwatch back in 2016.

The eSim technology is widely introduced into the portable modems today. A portable eSim modem can act as a universal tool to access the Internet in any part of the world. Such devices have already been on the market for more than a year. They usually have a powerful battery, so in conjunction with an embedded Sim, you can be sure you will always stay online. Many businessmen have made eSim portable modems a must-have for their every busy day.

Final Word

The modern world is hard to imagine without the Internet. Many devices simply cannot function without receiving data from online services. At the same time, manufacturers equip their products with Wi-Fi modules so that they can be controlled remotely, and the user's task is to provide these gadgets with a wireless network with Internet access. This may be a remote surveillance camera, for example, to protect the car in the parking lot, or providing access to the network of the head unit (Android radio) to obtain traffic data and various traffic POIs. Anyways, with these incredible innovative technologies, such as eSims, our lives are getting more and more convenient.