We have not yet massively adopted the eSIM and it seems that it already has a substitute: a more advanced SIM technology called iSIM.
iSIM, or Integrated SIM Card, is the latest innovation in SIM cards and the most advanced version of SIM cards.
Qualcomm has announced that its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip has been officially certified by the GSMA for its iSIM capabilities. This chipset is officially the first commercially available SoC with iSIM capability.
iSIM and eSIM have many differences and work similar to an eSIM. You can obtain and activate a new iSIM connection over the air remotely as an eSIM.
How is it different from eSIM?
iSIM, or embedded SIM, is the next evolution of eSIM. While eSIM uses a chip built into the device, iSIM integrates the SIM directly into the SoC (processor) of the device.
All smartphones use a SoC or System on Chip, which integrates all the elements such as CPU, GPU, RAM, cellular radio, etc. With this new technology, the SIM will also be integrated into the SoC. This eliminates the need for a separate SIM chip, as in eSIM, and reduces power consumption.
Advantages of iSIM:
- More resistant: It doesn’t wear out. You don’t need to buy a SIM card or pay for it. You also don’t have to wait for the company to send you or activate a new SIM card.
- remote provision: It can be activated remotely, and changing carriers can be instantaneous.
- Retrench of space: The iSIM does not take up any space on the mobile device, since it is integrated into the SoC.
- Energy saving: Being integrated into the SoC itself, it consumes much less energy than an eSIM.
Disadvantages:
- Changing phones is difficult: If you change phones from time to time, switching your eSIM / iSIM from one device to another can be frustrating, since most operators today do not allow you to transfer an eSIM from one mobile to another.
- Lack of support: Not all phones on the market come with support for this type of SIM.
