What's an eSIM, how it works and why it's important to you

15 October 2017
The Google Pixel 2 is one of the first phones to launch with an eSIM. We take a look at the latest revolution in the world of the ubiquitous SIM card and why you should care?

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • mE0
  • 17 Oct 2017

Anonymous, 16 Oct 2017It depends on carriers. For phone makers, the solution save... morebut there is a lot of space every year components get smaller and smaller and phones bigger and bigger
everything above 5" has enough space for headphone jack,microsd, 2sim,3000mah and above, ir blaster, 2cameras and so on
just check there is some cheap 2.5" android phones with jack,microsd and 2sim
also go to ifixit and see some images of motherboards
OEMs keep removing stuff which were there before without a problem

    • A
    • AlienNextDoor
    • JK1
    • 16 Oct 2017

    AnonD-708416, 16 Oct 2017You sound pretty old school. Are you unhappy because you ha... moreOh I'm all for change, but meaningful useful change. I detest change for the sake of change, especially if it makes things worse and not better.

      • L
      • Linas
      • QPU
      • 16 Oct 2017

      .alpha, 16 Oct 2017Apple was the first to Micro-SIM and Nano-SIM and will prob... moreWell... Crapple "first" is always with caveats... same goes with eSIM - the first device ever to use it was Samsung Gear S2 watch... now obviously ignorant crapple fans will go like "yeah that was product with tiny market share and nothing to compare with fabulous crapplephone selling millions of devices". There is part of truth in saying that Apple revolutionise the market, but that is not because they are first to introduce new features, but first to be noticed. Same here with eSIM - Samsung as first to introduce it... just fact, Google will be second, but Crapple will be remembered in history as "inventor". That is just a way it is...

        • D
        • AnonD-337028
        • 3pc
        • 16 Oct 2017

        .alpha, 16 Oct 2017Apple was the first to Micro-SIM and Nano-SIM and will prob... moresamsung gear s2 watch had esim years ago

          • .
          • .alpha
          • ytx
          • 16 Oct 2017

          Apple was the first to Micro-SIM and Nano-SIM and will probably the first to full eSIM. Not like any carrier can afford not to support iPhone

            • t
            • tc
            • nee
            • 16 Oct 2017

            AnonD-700134, 16 Oct 2017eSim is only good for a countries where the people can pay ... more"when you traveled you was forced to use an expensive roaming plans."

            that's the goal.

              • l
              • lol
              • tVk
              • 16 Oct 2017

              AnonD-356282, 16 Oct 2017In theory, you can simply select the service through the ph... moreit only look for people in japan not vice versa

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • PBb
                • 16 Oct 2017

                Not an easy explanation.....

                  • b
                  • bobli
                  • GW$
                  • 16 Oct 2017

                  Next thing you will have a cucumber up your chutney channel and smartphone will be projected from all the way down up your eyes and ur helmet will be your simcard. smartcuc is the name of the device :)
                  man this monkey business is neverending. Same as apple being name the best smartphone when it first came up all the way till now - the most nonsence device that took 4 editions to get common sense phone functionality working i.e. call duration list of last called (more than 10) etc... era of sheep madness full of I this I that when there is no I at all. Sheepanity... Oh so sad Oh so sad. Yet more opportunity for diversification and decent businesses to come up to make proper stuff...
                  GO ONE PLUS, GO HUAWEI, GO XIAOMI, GO GO GO!!!!!

                    • S
                    • Saber tooth
                    • 3Y1
                    • 16 Oct 2017

                    So the NSA can spy easily!

                      • D
                      • AnonD-700134
                      • PeN
                      • 16 Oct 2017

                      eSim is only good for a countries where the people can pay for a contract plan, in the underdeveloped countries, where the most of population still using prepaid plans, it wont be popular. In 2000s when brazilian carrier VIVO (a Verizon Wannabe), did use CDMA, was a pain in the as* change cellphone and they only sold locked cellphones, when you traveled you was forced to use an expensive roaming plans.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • v{u
                        • 16 Oct 2017

                        People invented things to ease and simply life. And it suddenly changed back to the hard and complex way. Who did this?

                          Apple has done more harm to the mobile industry than good.

                          MacBook Pro added Touch ID last year. Next year's iPhones wants to rid of all of it. MBP still has headphone jack and USB-C. iPhones removed headphone jack and still uses Lightning Connector. It's a dongle cluster****.

                          Face ID is more inconvenience when you want to check your phone in secret. The notch is irritating enough to view content but imagine always needing to look at the phone to unlock it? Apple should have never eliminated Touch ID.

                          eSim is just another inconvenience to switch between phones. Apple is like cancer to the mobile industry. Whatever they push down our throats, they win and will continue to dictate the trends.

                            • B
                            • Bewildered
                            • 3Jn
                            • 16 Oct 2017

                            Aym007, 16 Oct 2017As a Wireless Service retailer, I see a great value in the ... moreHere is the answer you all should read. Thanks aym007

                            http://www.imei.info/faq-what-is-ICCID/

                            Others please think
                            The ICCD number is also NOW the physical phone when esim arrive

                            Eg you have two phone both with a cell phone number, switch phones go online and switch the iccd from one phone to another, you don't have to talk to a real person, in the USA I understand that CDMA won't authorise a phone, this is due to competition

                            As long as you have not reported the phone stolen easy peasy. Ghe same with a broken phone as long as phone has an esim
                            I Don't think you will be able to do this if a phone has a sim card
                            ATM there are dual sim phones, so I doubt that if you holiday your phone will let you have a second esim number even temporarily as that would give you dual sim capability

                            Like now you will only be able to use the phone on networks that have say 2100 mHz as phones with world wide roaming is flagship
                            Borrowing a phone like now swap sim need to go online to re register esim and as friends phone has not been reported lost stolen easy peasy

                            Thinking about it I don't see a reason why a person can set up not to allow esim registration

                            Police can trace a phone based on the imei this only for serious charges, phones remain lost even when the imei is known simply because the sim card is removed
                            I can trace my phone, only whilst my sim card is inside
                            Only the rightful owner can use the phone

                            On stolen for parts, I dare say there are some who will purchase a blacklisted phone but as it is an easy check, I did not know is a lame excuse

                            It is essentially the same as porting your number only with physical devices as a thief cannot insert his sim, using your sim card gives you access to all numbers called

                            Esims like it ir not bumps up security 80+ %

                            Remember Apple did NOT ARE NOT FIRST

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • tA$
                              • 16 Oct 2017

                              Akinaro, 15 Oct 2017" the space taken up by the associated internal hardware an... morei don't mind extra milimeters if that means my phone will have SIM cards slot, MicroSD card slot, 3.5mm jack, removable battery, etc.

                              nobody ask for razor-thin phone that would bend or break easily in your pants.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • tA$
                                • 16 Oct 2017

                                e-SIM won't be popular in many Asian countries where people bought phones and SIM cards separately.
                                there were reason why GSM phones (with removable SIM cards) more popular than CDMA phones (with injected phones number), and i think this e-SIM nonsense would go down the CDMA way.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • nE5
                                  • 16 Oct 2017

                                  AnonD-356282, 16 Oct 2017Just deal with it, privacy went out the window decades ago,... moredeal with it? slave mentally, accepting your loss of rights as if it is something that must be, as if there was no other choice...

                                    • D
                                    • AnonD-356282
                                    • PUa
                                    • 16 Oct 2017

                                    anon, 16 Oct 2017oh look we're going back to CDMALOL that was my first thought too actually. Good old ESN's. A pain to switch a phone to another carrier however, if they ever even let you.

                                      • f
                                      • fsf
                                      • Ldm
                                      • 16 Oct 2017

                                      Oathbreaker, 16 Oct 2017Please read this thread -http://www.howardforums.com/showth... moreWe need a phone gate to stop this stupid sects companies

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-356282
                                        • PUa
                                        • 16 Oct 2017

                                        Oathbreaker, 16 Oct 2017Please read this thread -http://www.howardforums.com/showth... moreJust deal with it, privacy went out the window decades ago, and if you don't want to be tracked or recognised, just don't use the internet. Ever.