What is eSIM Technology?

by Traking Pro TrakingPro Tracking devices

The modest yet humble SIM card has stayed alive for quite a long time. But now it seems like it’s on its way to bid goodbye. Why? Well, now the new eSIM technology which is a much smarter invention is here to save the day.

No need to mix up, an eSIM is precisely what it sounds like — an embedded, or electronic SIM. In contrast to a physical card, the eSIM technology is built right into your phone. So it basically acts like a small chip used for authenticating your identity with your carrier.

Yes, I understand that it’s quite normal for you to have some questions about the eSIM technology. Well, with a conventional SIM card, you had to change the SIM if you traveled or used a new carrier on your travels. You had to switch from one operator to another if you wished to change carriers. Here’s exactly where the advantage of the eSIM technology kicks in.

One of the major benefits of the eSIM technology is that it makes a lot easier for you to switch carriers. You no longer have to order a new SIM card and wait for it patiently to arrive at your door before you can use it. Instead, you can switch to a new and effective carrier straight from your phone with the eSIM technology. And if you use dual-SIM, it’s super easy to switch between carriers since eSIM technology supports multiple accounts.

These are the basic promises made by the GSM Alliance (GSMA), but how much benefit it will bring or how will the change look like isn’t just confirmed yet. Having the eSIM technology in a phone is like having a few new settings menus particularly built for your SIM card. It will allow you to switch carriers and manage accounts directly from your mobile device.

The Google Pixel 2 is considered among the first phones to come with the support for eSIM technology. And for managing your eSIM, the phone came with an app that is available from the Google Play Store. After this came the iPhone Xs in the market. It offers slots for both a physical SIM card and an eSIM as a secondary SIM. However, the eSIM could only be enabled following an iOS software update.

Slowly but surely, the eSIM technology will take over the world. Given that your carrier and your phone support it, then maybe it’s the time for you to start using this all new mobile technology. In the interim, it’s expected that phones with eSIMs will still have traditional SIM card slots, but sooner or later, those trays might get away altogether.

The eSIM technology will be helpful for yet another reason. It will help make the devices smaller yet compact. Now, that may not be a matter of concern for mobile phones even though having a little extra room for battery capacity would always be nice. It could be tremendously helpful for wearables too. The Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 4 already come with built-in eSIMs. This is partially the reason Apple has managed to keep the device pretty much the same size like the preceding generations of the Apple Watch.