What is eSIM We all use SIM in mobile phones and now a new one has come. eSIM means Embedded SIM Card which is inside your phone. It’s not a card. In India, in many premium brands you get the option of eSIM in all of them. From iPhone 11 to iPhone 15 you get the option of eSIM, you get samsung phones with esim, you get it in Google Pixel etc. Means in all the premium phones you get the option of eSIM. If we talk from the point of view of operators then Airtel, Jio, Vodafone Idea, all of them provide you with the option of eSIM.
What is eSIM?
In the earlier time, the big SIM cards that we used. After that it became small and came to micro SIM. After that it became smaller and came to nano SIM. Nano SIM and micro SIM started in Apple phones and later we got to see them in other brands. Now what is there in the SIM card chips? Basically there is some data in it. That data authenticates who you are. It means you put your SIM card in the mobile phone and that information went to your local tower. Your identity is set and they know who this subscriber is.
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
You need a mechanism in a mobile phone. Earlier, the cover of the phone used to open from behind. Battery used to come out, so you have put the SIM card below. Since we have such modern phones, we need a proper tray and a mechanism. You have to remove the SIM card. Then if you want to keep dual SIM then you need a little more space Inside the phone. To read that chip you should have components which can read the data from there which can recognize your number.
So all these things add completion somewhere and then when we think on one side that such a small memory card. We can store up to 1 TB data in such a small memory card and we are putting a SIM card as big as that for whom?
For a very basic information, for a few kilobytes
Why do we have to consume so much space for that?
So the birth of eSIM, we call it Embedded SIM card. So you understand that inside the phone there is a module which is installed on your motherboard. We can store this information there just like we store data.
If we talk about Apple new iPhones, the models available in the US Only eSIM is available. You don’t get a place to put a SIM card. Because Apple knows what is the need to put a SIM card tray. There is a space inside so you can put some other components there. If we talk about the phone’s IP rating, if there is no SIM tray It will be easier to provide IP rating so this option came. The rest of the iPhones available in India, we have a place to put a SIM card. Then we can put an eSIM same with Google Pixel, Samsung has both.
What is the benefit of using an eSIM?
You can store multiple eSIM cards in your phone. For example if I have a dual SIM phone so I can put 2 SIM cards, one I use Airtel and the other I use Jio. Now if I want to keep a Vodafone ID number for some reason or sometimes I go to my house on weekends and the network is good there. So I have to keep a Vodafone SIM card in my wallet or somewhere else. When I go there, I will open the phone, take out the SIM tray, put in the Vodafone SIM, take out the other one, and use it. It’s a process
I can easily store an eSIM card in my phone and when I want to activate it, I can activate it immediately. So my number will be saved like I am saying in Apple. One SIM is physical in the phone. I have stored multiple eSIM. I can activate as I want and keep changing. So this is an advantage. The second advantage is if your phone is a normal phone and you have a normal SIM card, It will easily take out your SIM card. It’s very easy. In the case of eSIM, it can’t do this. Now you think If you have turned on your data in your phone and If someone took your phone and ran away. Still you can track because that phone can be switched off. But still the phone is findable even after switching off in the network. If your SIM is connected to your phone it can help a lot in tracking so this is a big advantage of eSIM.
eSIM Disadvantages
Now there is a disadvantage, for those people who have to change their phones immediately. Like I don’t use eSIM because today this phone is here tomorrow another phone is there, so I think in that case a normal SIM card makes life easy. You take out the SIM card and can put it in another phone. In the process of eSIM, there are some complicated things. Because the activation or transfer is still not that seamless. Across operators if you want to convert a normal SIM to eSIM you might have to visit the store. You might have to email or send a message. It’s still a little complicated. But guys honestly speaking if you are a person who changes phone once every 2-3 years and you keep your phone as normal you can use eSIM. If there is an option in your phone I have seen many people in India who use dual SIM in iPhone. One has a physical SIM card and the other has eSIM.
So it’s not like people are not using eSIM. All the people who use their phone in a smartwatch, they use eSIM in the smartwatch. The LTE watch doesn’t have a SIM tray so if I tell you honestly eSIM is definitely the future. But there are some complications. It’s still not that popular but in the future when the SIM tray stops or other brands stop or even if Apple stops then the popularity will increase.
Is eSIM safe?
From a safety point of view eSIM has a lot of advantages. Especially if the phone is being stolen, you know at that time a thief can’t take out your SIM and misuse it. If someone steals your phone he will take out the SIM and put it in another phone. The number will go to you so that misuse can be avoided and in the future.
Conclusion
When we are moving forward in technology. We have made charging wireless. We have advanced a lot of things. So why do we still have to keep a big plastic container in our phone? For very basic work. That’s the reason for eSIM introduction and it’s not a new thing. It’s been around for many years companies cut the cost. When a company launches a phone for Rs 10,000. If they put eSIM in it. Then they have to put the module on the phone, That’s why they don’t give it. That’s why you get eSIM In the flagship phones. In the cheaper phones you still have the traditional tray. With a simple chip for reading so that’s why they are not gaining popularity. But in the future you will definitely see eSIM.
