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A fairly recent behavior of major mobile carriers ([[AT&T]], [[Verizon]], [[T-Mobile]], etc.) is that they may sometimes supply devices with a digital SIM card, or eSIM card. (Seriously, PLEASE expand upon this)
==Hardware==
 
===Understanding modern sim card & [[wikipedia:ESIM|'''eSIM''' ('''embedded SIM''')]] hardware.===
The current global modern standard by market adoption for [[wikipedia:SIM_card#Developments|SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)]] cards are Nano-SIM form factor, [[wikipedia:Universal_integrated_circuit_card|Universal integrated circuit card (UICC)]] SOC's (system on a chip) cards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIM Card Developments |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card#Developments |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=Wikipedia}}</ref> This is the smaller SIM card you started seeing in every handset from every major phone manufacturer beginning with hardware releases after 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nano-SIM |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_card#Nano-SIM |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=Wikipedia}}</ref> Just like your phone, computer, or any other device, these cards have their own CPU, RAM, ROM and Digital I/O.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Universal integrated circuit card |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_integrated_circuit_card#design |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=Wikipedia}}</ref> '''eUICC''' (embedded UICC), also known as e-SIM cards, are a form of highly re-programmable SIM typically as [[wikipedia:Ball_grid_array|BGA]] IC chips soldered directly to the phone's logic board during manufacturing. 
 
===iPhone===
Apple introduced eUICC chips & eSIM support alongside the release of the [[wikipedia:IPhone_12|iPhone 12]] series in 2020<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple iPhone 12 |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_12-10509.php |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=GSM Arena}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=iPhone 12 |url=https://www.apple.com/by/iphone-12/specs/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=[[Apple]]}}</ref> and has continued this feature to date.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iPhones with eSIM support |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?chkESIM=selected&chkReview=selected&sMakers=48&sAvailabilities=1,2&s5Gs=0&idCardslot=3 |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=GSM Arena}}</ref> With the launch of the US model of the iPhone 14 series, iPhones dropped hardware support of user replaceable UICC Nano-SIM cards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple iPhone 14 |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_14-11861.php |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=GSM Arena}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=About eSIM on iPhone |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/118669 |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=[[Apple]]}}</ref> According to Apple, "'''iPhone 14''' models and later that are '''eSIM only''' can activate without a Wi-Fi network."<ref name=":2" /> In all other Apple model varieties - International and China - Nano-SIM remained supported outside the United States; by the 14 series, 15 series and 16 series. (Most recent release as of writing 2/7/25.)
 
This transition raised further concerns about potentials for abuse if unregulated, including [[wikipedia:Vendor_lock-in|Vendor lock in]], [[planned obsolescence]], and [[Anti competitive behavior]] in the form of [[Used market resisctions|used market restrictions]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Control is yours. |url=https://www.apple.com/privacy/control/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=[[Apple]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Planned obsolescence |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=Wikipedia}}</ref>
 
As a workaround, on most newer iPhones, the Chinese dual SIM reader and dual SIM tray can be manually installed by the user or a repair technician who is '''not''' part of Apple's official repair program. This likely voids the warranty in most regions, but allows non-China iPhones to use two SIM cards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=@PhoneRepairGuru |date=2023-06-02 |title=We Put China's Dual Sim Mod In This iPhone.. |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VC_Tp7minPY |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=YouTube}}</ref>
 
===Future speculation===
'''''-NOTE-  The sources below are not to this wiki's overall standards of credibility and will likely be changed to first party sources from the manufacturer later once more reliable information is available.'''''
 
*iPhone 17 Air:
 
According to unofficial preliminary specifications for the iPhone 17 Air, support for Nano-SIM will be entirely dropped for the model across the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple iPhone 17 Air |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_17_air-13502.php |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=GSM Arena}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service on iPhone |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/101569 |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=[[Apple]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SIM Tray |url=https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-17/#sim_tray |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=Mac Rumors}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ma |first=Wayne |last2=Liu |first2=Qianer |title=Apple’s Thin iPhone Has No Physical SIMs—That Could Dampen China Sales |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apples-thin-iphone-has-no-physical-sims-that-could-dampen-china-sales |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=www.theinformation.com}}</ref> This is based on rumors and speculations, however the physical size of the device has been disclosed as "5.5mm" by Ming-Chi Kuo (a medium tech trade blogger described as "TF International Securities analyst who shares observations and predictions of tech industry trends"), which would make Nano-SIM support a significant enough engineering challenge, as it's widely considered unviable and/or unlikely.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kuo |first=Ming-Chi |date=10 Jan 2025 |title=Apple在2025年可能將面臨更為嚴峻的挑戰，須謹慎面對市場先前過度樂觀導致的潛在下行風險 |url=https://medium.com/@mingchikuo/apple%E5%9C%A82025%E5%B9%B4%E5%8F%AF%E8%83%BD%E5%B0%87%E9%9D%A2%E8%87%A8%E6%9B%B4%E7%82%BA%E5%9A%B4%E5%B3%BB%E7%9A%84%E6%8C%91%E6%88%B0-%E9%A0%88%E8%AC%B9%E6%85%8E%E9%9D%A2%E5%B0%8D%E5%B8%82%E5%A0%B4%E5%85%88%E5%89%8D%E9%81%8E%E5%BA%A6%E6%A8%82%E8%A7%80%E5%B0%8E%E8%87%B4%E7%9A%84%E6%BD%9B%E5%9C%A8%E4%B8%8B%E8%A1%8C%E9%A2%A8%E9%9A%AA-6256c091f06d |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=Medium}}</ref>
 
'''''End note -'''''
 
The industry transition to '''Integrated SIM (iSIM)''' will be indistinguishable from EUICC e-SIMs to the end user. However with iSIM, it would be embedded directly into the phone's SoC or CPU die.<ref>{{Cite web |title=eSIM |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESIM |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=Wikipedia}}</ref> This will irreversibly link data identifiers like SIM ID history with the device's IMEI and hardware IDs, even through highly technical means such as micro-soldering.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Liu |first=Haoyu |last2=Patras |first2=Paul |last3=Leith |first3=Douglas J. |date=18 Jan 2023 |title=On the data privacy practices of Android OEMs |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9847909/#sec001 |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=National Library of Medicine}}</ref>
 
This transition would raise further concerns about potentials for abuse if unregulated, including [[wikipedia:Vendor_lock-in|Vendor lock in]], [[planned obsolescence]], and [[Anti competitive behavior]], in the form of [[Used market resisctions|used market restrictions]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
 
===Samsung Galaxy===
Samsung introduced e-SIM support in 2020 with the Galaxy S20 series of phones and continues nano-SIM support to the current day as of writing (with 2025's S25 series of Galaxy phones.)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samsung phones with eSIM support |url=https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung-phones-9.php |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=GSM Arena}}</ref>
 
===Google Pixel===
All Google Pixel phones currently support nano-SIM.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Get a SIM & add it to your Pixel phone |url=https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/7086887?hl=en#:~:text=You%20can%20connect%20your%20phone,of%20getting%20a%20new%20one. |url-status=live |access-date=16 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]]}}</ref>
 
==Mobile carriers & Networks==
 
===United states Mobile phone networks===
A fairly recent behavior of major mobile carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) is that they may sometimes supply devices with a digital SIM card, or eSIM card without the option of a traditional Nano-SIM alternative.{{Citation needed}}<!--wip see: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/06/13/esim-and-privacy-laws-balancing-convenience-with-data-protection/#:~:text=The%20complexity%20of%20technology%20implementation,fall%20into%20the%20wrong%20hands.-->
 
===European Union's mobile phone networks{{Citation needed}}===
eUICC/eSIM tech is basically not yet widely adopted in this market *
 
===China's Mobile phone networks===
eUICC/eSIM tech is basically not yet widely adopted in this market *<!--wip see the following references
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Industry_and_Information_Technology#Directly_Subordinate_Units
 
https://tradingshenzhen.com/en/blog/why-don-t-chinese-smartphones-have-an-esim-n8
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_in_China#Data_Security_Law_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China
 
https://esimplus.me/blog/can-i-use-esim-in-china
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_industry_in_China#cite_note-10.1371/journal.pone.0279942-4
 
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255256105?sortBy=rank-->
 
==References==
{{reflist}}

Latest revision as of 09:35, 17 April 2025

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Hardware[edit | edit source]

Understanding modern sim card & eSIM (embedded SIM) hardware.[edit | edit source]

The current global modern standard by market adoption for SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards are Nano-SIM form factor, Universal integrated circuit card (UICC) SOC's (system on a chip) cards.[1] This is the smaller SIM card you started seeing in every handset from every major phone manufacturer beginning with hardware releases after 2012.[2] Just like your phone, computer, or any other device, these cards have their own CPU, RAM, ROM and Digital I/O.[3] eUICC (embedded UICC), also known as e-SIM cards, are a form of highly re-programmable SIM typically as BGA IC chips soldered directly to the phone's logic board during manufacturing.

iPhone[edit | edit source]

Apple introduced eUICC chips & eSIM support alongside the release of the iPhone 12 series in 2020[4][5] and has continued this feature to date.[6] With the launch of the US model of the iPhone 14 series, iPhones dropped hardware support of user replaceable UICC Nano-SIM cards.[7][8] According to Apple, "iPhone 14 models and later that are eSIM only can activate without a Wi-Fi network."[8] In all other Apple model varieties - International and China - Nano-SIM remained supported outside the United States; by the 14 series, 15 series and 16 series. (Most recent release as of writing 2/7/25.)

This transition raised further concerns about potentials for abuse if unregulated, including Vendor lock in, planned obsolescence, and Anti competitive behavior in the form of used market restrictions.[9][10]

As a workaround, on most newer iPhones, the Chinese dual SIM reader and dual SIM tray can be manually installed by the user or a repair technician who is not part of Apple's official repair program. This likely voids the warranty in most regions, but allows non-China iPhones to use two SIM cards.[11]

Future speculation[edit | edit source]

-NOTE- The sources below are not to this wiki's overall standards of credibility and will likely be changed to first party sources from the manufacturer later once more reliable information is available.

  • iPhone 17 Air:

According to unofficial preliminary specifications for the iPhone 17 Air, support for Nano-SIM will be entirely dropped for the model across the world.[12][13][14][15] This is based on rumors and speculations, however the physical size of the device has been disclosed as "5.5mm" by Ming-Chi Kuo (a medium tech trade blogger described as "TF International Securities analyst who shares observations and predictions of tech industry trends"), which would make Nano-SIM support a significant enough engineering challenge, as it's widely considered unviable and/or unlikely.[16]

End note -

The industry transition to Integrated SIM (iSIM) will be indistinguishable from EUICC e-SIMs to the end user. However with iSIM, it would be embedded directly into the phone's SoC or CPU die.[17] This will irreversibly link data identifiers like SIM ID history with the device's IMEI and hardware IDs, even through highly technical means such as micro-soldering.[18]

This transition would raise further concerns about potentials for abuse if unregulated, including Vendor lock in, planned obsolescence, and Anti competitive behavior, in the form of used market restrictions.[9][10]

Samsung Galaxy[edit | edit source]

Samsung introduced e-SIM support in 2020 with the Galaxy S20 series of phones and continues nano-SIM support to the current day as of writing (with 2025's S25 series of Galaxy phones.)[19]

Google Pixel[edit | edit source]

All Google Pixel phones currently support nano-SIM.[20]

Mobile carriers & Networks[edit | edit source]

United states Mobile phone networks[edit | edit source]

A fairly recent behavior of major mobile carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) is that they may sometimes supply devices with a digital SIM card, or eSIM card without the option of a traditional Nano-SIM alternative.[citation needed]

European Union's mobile phone networks[citation needed][edit | edit source]

eUICC/eSIM tech is basically not yet widely adopted in this market *

China's Mobile phone networks[edit | edit source]

eUICC/eSIM tech is basically not yet widely adopted in this market *

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "SIM Card Developments". Wikipedia. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ "Nano-SIM". Wikipedia. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ "Universal integrated circuit card". Wikipedia. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ "Apple iPhone 12". GSM Arena. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ "iPhone 12". Apple. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ "iPhones with eSIM support". GSM Arena. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ "Apple iPhone 14". GSM Arena. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "About eSIM on iPhone". Apple. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Control is yours". Apple. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Planned obsolescence". Wikipedia. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ↑ @PhoneRepairGuru (2023-06-02). "We Put China's Dual Sim Mod In This iPhone." YouTube. Retrieved 2025-04-17.
  12. ↑ "Apple iPhone 17 Air". GSM Arena. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ "Find wireless carriers and worldwide service providers that offer eSIM service on iPhone". Apple. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ "SIM Tray". Mac Rumors. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ↑ Ma, Wayne; Liu, Qianer. "Apple's Thin iPhone Has No Physical SIMs—That Could Dampen China Sales". www.theinformation.com. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ Kuo, Ming-Chi (10 Jan 2025). "Apple在2025年可能將面臨更為嚴峻的挑戰，須謹慎面對市場先前過度樂觀導致的潛在下行風險". Medium. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ↑ "eSIM". Wikipedia. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ↑ Liu, Haoyu; Patras, Paul; Leith, Douglas J. (18 Jan 2023). "On the data privacy practices of Android OEMs". National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ↑ "Samsung phones with eSIM support". GSM Arena. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ↑ "Get a SIM & add it to your Pixel phone". Google. Retrieved 16 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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