Why Qualcomm taking away your SIM card might be a bad idea
Qualcomm revealed this week in time MWC 2023 that it will add the “world’s first commercially deployable iSIM” (integrated SIM) to Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform.
In other words, Android phones with this chipset will ditch the swappable SIM cards, opting for a hardware solution instead. Qualcomm has done this (opens in a new tab) thanks to the help of French electronics company Thales Group, a name most people probably won’t recognize but may be familiar with its technology. That’s because Thales is also the company behind the eSIM (embedded SIM) present on iPhone 14 series. Essentially, Qualcomm is bringing Apple’s technology to Android. The difference with this new hardware is that it will be integrated (hence the iSIM name) into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s processor rather than existing as a separate chip on the motherboard.
iSIM benefits
On the surface, moving the position of the SIM card inside seems rather arbitrary; However, according to a post from Thales (opens in a new tab), there are several benefits. For starters, “it saves space by eliminating the need for a separate component” giving phone makers the opportunity to “create smaller, more compact devices.” The result is a phone with a sturdy construction that’s more resistant to dust and water damage and is also “easier to carry around.”
The other big benefit Thales touts is increased security. It claims that since the iSIM is embedded directly in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, it will be more difficult for bad guys or anyone to try to gain unauthorized access to the device. The technology is also said to enable “over-the-air provisioning, making it easier for carriers to manage customer devices.”
travel woes
However, not every Android user can welcome this news.
There is a potential problem that iSIM phones do not work in other countries. People who travel abroad usually buy prepaid SIM cards (opens in a new tab) so they can keep using their phone without paying a ton of money to the mobile service provider to pay for roaming. Obviously, you can’t do this on an eSIM phone because the chip is directly connected to the hardware. So what if the same thing happens on an iSIM device?
The post says the technology can connect to multiple carriers; a feature that Thales specifically calls “useful for customers who frequently travel internationally.” It claims users will be able to “switch carriers as needed without buying a new SIM card”. However, that depends on other countries supporting iSIM in the first place. For example, if you look at Apple eSIM-enabled regions and carriers (opens in a new tab), There’s not much to choose from. The US offers the most extensive support with many carriers supporting the technology. However, across Europe and Asia, the support team is much smaller.
It is not known when and where the first version of iSIM will be released. Qualcomm stated that it predicts “global iSIM shipments” to reach 300 million by 2027, so it could be within the next four years or so. Hopefully by then, support will be unrestricted.