SIM cards are being replaced by their “embedded” counterparts known as SIMs. Rather than getting a physical card from a carrier, you’ll instead activate service digitally by logging into an app or by scanning a QR code.
The software connects you to a new cellular network on the fly, letting you quickly sign up for service without tracking down a store. Because phone makers don’t have to include space for the SIM card tray, they can build sleeker devices, say industry veterans. SIMs even let you have two phone numbers on your phone at the same time: You could have one for work and one for personal calls, or set up an international number alongside your normal service when traveling.
“The vision is, you can get a phone from anyone, and as you’re activating the device, you pick your service operator and off you go,” said Che tan Sharma, a wireless industry analyst who leads his own consulting firm.
SIMs have become popular in Europe and Asia, where consumers tend to switch between prepaid plans to get the best data package available, he said. In the U.S., people typically stick with one carrier.
The three biggest U.S. wireless providers— T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon —say a cardless future is approaching here, too. With last year’s iPhone 13, Apple stopped including physical SIM cards in the box. And Motorola’s foldable Razor phone from 2019 didn’t support physical SIMs at all.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
How important is a physical SIM card to you? Join the conversation below.
“It’s a natural evolution,” said Jeff Howard, vice president of mobile devices and accessories at AT&T. “It’s going to make the experience better down the road.”
Right now, setting up an SIM isn’t always painless. Even if your phone supports it, your carrier may not. And if you try to move SIMs between devices, you likely have to go through setup all over again.
A Slow Start,
SIM cards relay your user details to the carrier to authenticate your smartphone and enable you to make and receive calls, texts and data.
But when you want to change phones or switch service providers, SIMs can be cumbersome. Anyone who’s hunted for a tool to open the SIM tray (a skinny paper clip, for instance) knows what a pain that can be. Once you actually get the card out, the tiny dimensions of today’s popular nanograms —about the width of an M&M but thinner than a credit card—make them easy to lose. SIM cards also are vulnerable to hacks and have been tracked and exploited by cybercriminals.
SIMs aim to solve those issues. While they still require a chip inside the phone, that component is smaller than physical SIMs and can’t be removed. No more worries about dropping your SIM and losing it in your floor crack.
The digital chips allow carriers or device makers to quickly roll out software updates if security vulnerabilities are identified, said
Anthony Goone till eke, group president of technology and head of strategy at Am docs, an SIM software company.
“You can suddenly send out a security update to millions of people globally if an issue is found,” Mr. Goone till eke said. “You can’t do that with physical SIMs.”
Another plus: Activating service over the air makes it easier for customers to switch wireless providers. That’s a big reason why U.S. carriers were hesitant to adopt SIMs, said Bernd Mueller, head of technology, solutions and strategy at the SIM-card production company Giesecke+Deviant.
You must be logged in to post a comment.