The evolution of SIM to eSIM

Category: Technology

A physical SIM card is nothing new, in fact, for as long as mobile phones have existed for the past 30 years, SIM cards have acted as the ports to cellular connectivity. SIM stands for subscriber identity module. SIMs have been used as a two-step network verification that firstly identifies the user with a digital license plate, and secondly informs the network if this phone or device is allowed to access the carrier's service. Customers and the consumer alike have only recently been given more and more options for effective SIM connectivity. SIM cards started with the mini-SIM, designed with a large plastic casing that had to be inserted into the SIM tray on the side of most phones or devices. As seen in the picture, the large, cumbersome level of plastic meant taking up all that extra space in your bag or pocket. In various iterations, the plastic casing could be taken off, but in the early generations of the mini-SIM, the plastic tray was a part of the insertion process. Chip swapping and the transfer were the most difficult at this time. As a sign of things to come, physical chip swapping evolved with the introduction of the micro-SIM. The micro-SIM made it a lot easier to store and swap SIMs as the large plastic casing around the card was made redundant. The micro-SIM still had a thin layering of plastic around the edge, but its form and functionality were dramatically improved. With the introduction of the nano-SIM, SIM cards were now getting even smaller in size. Practically, all excess plastic and non-identifying functions to the SIM were cut from production. On the one hand, this made SIMs the smallest and most efficient, but they still had one major problem, they were external to the phone. This meant that SIMs had improved upsides with equally increased risks. Nano-SIMs are so small in size that losing them became that much easier. With less protective plastic, these small SIMs are also much easier to accidentally damage or scratch. eSIM is the final iteration of the SIM card, and the best part is, the SIM is now embedded into your device from the start. This means, instead of ever having to worry about losing your SIM again, all you need to do is make sure you don't lose your phone. It's really as simple as that. The natural integration of external ports to phone technology is evident with wireless headphones and the adaption of wireless charging. eSIM is the final step to a fully digital experience.