Do you remember buying a new phone and carefully slotting the SIM card into place? Physical SIMs may be on the way out, as the eSIM enters the field.
What on earth is an eSIM?
eSIM stands for Embedded Subscriber Identity Module. It’s the electronic version of the familiar SIM card. Instead of buying a chip on plastic, the chip is permanently soldered in your phone’s motherboard from the factory. A traditional SIM card is kind of like an old-school gaming cartridge. To change the game, you’d have to physically swap it out. An eSIM is more like downloading a game from the app store. Your network connection is no longer a physical object, but pure data. Download your carrier profile over Wi-Fi, scan a QR code, and you’re connected.
The perks
Besides not needing to physically winkle an eSIM in and out of your phone, there are other advantages.
No need to buy a local SIM every time you visit a foreign country. eSIMs mean you can buy a data plan for Tokyo or Paris from your couch, download it, and use it from the moment your plane touches down.
Most eSIM phones let you store multiple profiles, meaning you can have your personal line and business line active on the exact same device—no more juggling personal and work phones.
In the event that your phone is stolen, it’s easier to track with eSIM, since it can’t be removed like a physical SIM card.
The catch
Like most new tech, there are drawbacks to eSIMs.
The biggest is that it’s anti-DIY. If your physical phone completely dies or shatters, you can’t put the SIM in a backup phone. There’s no way to physically swap an eSIM. Typically you’d have to log into your carrier account by jumping through security hoops, or call customer service to transfer the digital profile to a new device. If you’re thinking that that sounds difficult to do without a phone, you’d be right.
Another issue is that you cannot set it up without an internet connection. No Wi-Fi or cellular data means no activation. If your eSIM fails to connect when you arrive in a new country, you’re stranded until you gain access to a backup.
On top of that, eSIMs can fail to connect sometimes, and aren’t supported by all carriers.
Summary
Bottom line is, eSIMs may be more convenient if your carrier supports them, you don’t plan on swapping devices much, or you have a backup plan (like a traveling buddy) if something goes wrong while abroad. However, if that’s not you, you might want to stick with the physical SIM. Best case scenario: use one of each. Many phones support having an eSIM for things like travel, while your physical SIM is ready for device-swapping in a pinch.
Are you Team Plastic or Team Pixel? Share your thoughts below, and we’ll see you next time for another DIYin5.
Got questions about the video or Kingston products? COMMENT or contact us on SOCIAL MEDIA:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kingstontech
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingstontechnology
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingstontechnology
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kingston
SUBSCRIBE for more DIY in 5 videos, and receive updates on the latest in Kingston’s memory & storage development, plus guides on getting peak performance from your hardware:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLlmpSSdRdFbd_p9oNPcGfA
0:00 Intro
0:39 What on earth is an eSIM?
1:16 The perks
2:08 The catch
3:01 Summary
