Google launched the world’s first smartphone — the Pixel 2 with eSIM technology in 2017 and Apple also included embedded SIM technology with the iPhone XS series in 2018. The first time I used an eSIM is on the iPhone 11 back in 2019, and since then I have been an eSIM user. Here is my long-term experience of using an eSIM in India on both Android and iOS devices.
Being a long-term eSIM user, I have understood that it has both pros and cons when compared to a conventional physical SIM card. Here are some of the things to keep in mind before transforming your physical SIM card to an eSIM.
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Converting a physical SIM to an eSIM is easy but not the other way around
Major telecom providers like Jio, Airtel, and Vi offer eSIM facilities in India. Do note that, while you can convert a physical SIM card into an eSIM from the comforts of your home, to convert an eSIM to a physical SIM card, you need to visit a dedicated store. In my experience, I have waited for months to get my eSIM converted into physical SIM as it can only be done at Reliance digital stores.
eSIM makes your iPhone more secure, especially when you lose it
Did you know you can track your iPhone even when it’s switched off? This is a useful feature, especially when you lose your phone. With an eSIM on an iPhone, you should be able to track your iPhone from Find My iPhone on iCloud even when the device is switched off, this works because the eSIM cannot be de-activated without unlocking the device and this is also the primary reason for me to use an eSIM on my iPhone.
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Transferring an eSIM still takes a lot of time
Transferring an eSIM from one device to another takes at least two hours in India. While Apple introduced seamless eSIM transfer between iPhones with iOS 16 update, this feature does not work in India, and one needs to follow the complete process, which takes over 2 hours to transfer an eSIM from Android to iPhone or vice-versa. While swapping a physical SIM from one phone to another should just take a few seconds.
On top of that, when you transfer an eSIM from one phone to another, you won’t receive any SMS/OTPs for 24 hours at least on the Jio network. This means, you won’t be able to log in to most services that require a one-time password and you won’t be able to access banking services such as UPI for a day.
Limited models support eSIM
Do note that, only a select number of smartphones support eSIM. While Google and Apple are early adapters of eSIM technology, only the flagship Samsung smartphones offer eSIM support and this feature can also be found on select Motorola and Oppo flagship smartphones like the Find X5 Pro.
