The embedded SIM or e-SIM technology has been available for consumers for a while but 2022 is the year we’ll see companies going all-in on adopting the technology that helps consumers get rid of physical sim cards altogether. The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro in the US come without a physical SIM card slot and rely entirely on the e-SIM technology. For the uninitiated, e-SIMs used the technology that is present on a regular sim card and embeds it onto the chipset of the device. The device in this case can be smartphones, smartwatches, cars and other wearables.
The purpose of a SIM card is to act as a unique identifier which allows customers and the telecom companies to communicate with your specific device while texting or calling someone, and e-SIMs seemingly improve the performance of these core functions of the traditional SIM cards.
Advantages
e-SIMs are a big step towards securing our communication channels in case of a theft of our device. While in case of physical SIM cards, the thieves can pop-out your SIM cards and use them in another device without much hassle and access contacts and calling/ messaging history, the same will not be possible with e-SIMs.
Another advantage that e-SIMs provide over physical ones is that they are re-programmable which allows users to juggle between telecom operators like Jio, Airtel and Vi, without physically changing the SIM cards. They also allow consumers to save the details of multiple e-SIMs on one device and do away with the hard-limits of dual-sim devices that are prevalent in the Indian market.
Lastly, one seemingly small advantage of e-SIMs is that in the absence of a physical SIM card, you can do away with the SIM slot and make the device have one less physical opening. This can go a long way in making the device more water and dust resistant thereby according better IP ratings and reducing the chances of breaking or loosing moveable/ detachable parts.
Disadvantages
There are certain use cases where an e-SIM only device can make your life more difficult. In emergency situations when you’ve drained your phone battery or dropped your phone in the bathtub, you’ll no longer be able to quickly pop-out your SIM card and use it in a backup device to preserve your contact data.
Not all nations have jumped on the e-SIM bandwagon just yet and that is apparent from Apple’s approach with the new iPhones as well. While the US gets the e-SIM only models this year, all other nations across the world will still get a physical SIM slot on their devices. This makes it tougher for consumers who import their iPhones from the US to benefit from the huge price difference.
With e-SIMs becoming mainstream in the near future, it’s almost certain that consumers will become more dependent on their telecom operators every time they want to switch to a new device. While most individuals may not find this to be a problem, many are worried about the power this provides operators, who may later decide to charge more for e-SIM plans or for switching phones.
