eSIM ist zwar gut, aber es eignet sich derzeit noch nicht für Sie.

Is the era of eSIM coming?

As a digital blogger at the forefront of technology, I've been eagerly waiting for the eSIM trend for almost 7 or 8 years.

In 2018, the iPhone XS officially supported eSIM. Every year, I've been fantasizing about a scenario: getting a new phone without a SIM card slot, with a seamless body and top - notch waterproof and dust - proof ratings.

Want to switch carriers? Just tap a couple of times in the app and it's done in 30 seconds. No more dealing with the looks from the guys at the business hall, and no more using a pin to poke that tiny hole.

Free, smooth, and elegant. This is what the digital age in the 21st century should be like.

However, finally, after much anticipation, the three major domestic telecom carriers have officially announced the launch of eSIM mobile services nationwide.

Major mobile phone manufacturers are also gearing up. Phones like the Apple iPhone 17 Air and the Huawei Mate XTS are touting domestic eSIM support as an important selling point.

I have to say, I'm extremely excited.

What is eSIM?

I know many people are confused. eSIM? It sounds like the name of an electronic pet.

To put it simply, the eSIM card, full name Embedded - SIM, is an "embedded SIM card".

Putting aside these complex and hard - to - understand terms, in the past, our communication services were mainly based on that small plastic card - the SIM card.

But now, it's directly soldered onto your phone's motherboard and becomes a built - in chip. Theoretically, when you want to use a certain carrier, the carrier can "airdrop" your number information into this chip.

So, what are the benefits of getting rid of the physical SIM card?

First of all, mobile phone manufacturers must be happy.

You know, space inside a phone is extremely precious. Eliminating a physical SIM card slot can free up space for a larger battery, a better camera module, or make the phone thinner.

Moreover, with one less opening, the phone's waterproof and dust - proof performance can be maximized. For example, the US - version iPhones have had no SIM card slots since the iPhone 14, and now China is following suit.

For us users, it's naturally a great thing too.

It's more convenient to change phone numbers or carriers. There's no need to go to the carrier's store or wait for a SIM card to be delivered by courier. Theoretically, you can make the switch with just a few taps in the app.

There's also a very important eSIM operation scenario - one number for two devices. Your phone and smartwatch can share the same number.

When you go for a run or go downstairs to buy groceries, you can leave your phone at home and just wear the watch. You won't miss any calls or WeChat messages, and you can even make QR - code payments. It's extremely convenient.

Obviously, the blueprint for eSIM is very promising. It's convenient, flexible, and powerful, and it's a trend in the future digital age.

Guide to Getting eSIM

Now that we've talked about the beautiful ideals, let's get to the practical part - how to apply for eSIM services?

All three major carriers have now opened the application process for eSIM mobile phone cards. Specifically, the application processes for all three are actually very similar.

First of all, whether it's China Mobile, China Unicom, or China Telecom, you can make an advance reservation through the carrier's app or mini - program, and then go to the designated carrier's store to complete the application.

Secondly, the application process is very strict. You need to bring your ID card and an eSIM - compatible device (such as the iPhone Air or Huawei Mate XT) to the reserved offline carrier's store to complete the application.

Minors and proxy applications are not allowed.

China Unicom and China Telecom have previously responded that the original number cannot be converted to eSIM across provinces. You must return to the number's home location to make the conversion. That is, if your original SIM card is from Beijing, you can only convert it to eSIM in Beijing, not in other places.

There are also number restrictions. Each phone can have a maximum of 2 eSIM numbers. Dual - SIM dual - standby is still available, and the total number of numbers under your name still cannot exceed 5.

The eSIM package is the same as the SIM card package.

Is eSIM Really Convenient?

By now, many people may feel that something is off.

An eSIM, which aims to eliminate the physical card, simplify the process, and be convenient and fast, still requires us to go to an offline carrier's store in person. I have to say, this really deserves some criticism.

Now, changing phones is actually very simple. Whether you're getting a new SIM card or transferring an old one to a new phone, you just need to insert or remove the SIM card.

But if we switch to eSIM, we actually have to go to the corresponding carrier's store for real - name registration. We don't know yet whether the current process is troublesome or not, but it's clear that eSIM is not as convenient and flexible as we thought.

If you're from another province, it's even more troublesome. You may even have to take a weekend off, buy a train or plane ticket, and go back to your hometown. The cost of the plane ticket is enough to buy me several SIM cards.

What's the ideal form of eSIM? It's that users can freely and seamlessly switch carriers anytime, anywhere.

However, the current eSIM service is clearly still in a "crippled" state. It's a compromise in the current era:

It responds to the call of technological development and meets the needs of mobile phone manufacturers. At the same time, by retaining key steps such as "offline application" and "local management", carriers keep a tight grip on users.

Of course, it's not just the carriers.

Future new phones from domestic mobile phone manufacturers will not be the pure eSIM phones that many people expect. Instead, they will have both physical SIM cards and eSIMs.

For example, the recently announced eSIM - enabled OPPO Find X9 actually uses a dual - mode solution of a physical card and eSIM.

Of course, this also has its advantages. Technological replacement usually takes time. For example, in the United States, the physical SIM card slot was only completely removed from iPhones a few years ago, and the penetration rate still hasn't reached 50%.

So, is the era of eSIM really coming? Well...

Obviously, the "card - free era" that we expect eSIM to bring has not fully arrived.

If you're a digital enthusiast and don't mind the hassle, you can definitely try out this latest eSIM. If you're an ordinary consumer, you may want to wait until everything is more mature and convenient before making the switch.

Technological development is never a one - step process. eSIM is just at the stage of sowing the seeds. Let's give it some time, and also give the carriers and mobile phone manufacturers some time to figure things out. I hope that the next time we talk about eSIM, it won't be the users who are running around exhausted.

This article is from the WeChat official account "Tech Fox" (ID: kejihutv), author: Old Fox. Republished by 36Kr with permission.