The "remote provisioning" of eSIMs for mobile phones has been put on the agenda, and Huawei may be the first to adopt this technology, potentially even before the iPhone 17 Air.
On July 13, 2025, China Unicom quietly launched the "Mobile eSIM Service Activation and Handling" page on its official website. Although the actual functions have not been fully opened, this move marks that the domestic mobile eSIM service has officially entered the commercial trial stage.
China Unicom App page. Image source: Internet
The page information shows that users can choose between two methods: "On-site Handling" or "Handling at the Business Hall". Currently, the former displays "This function is coming soon", while the latter prompts "Business hall information not obtained".
China Unicom clearly stated that during the commercial trial stage of eSIM mobile phones, the first-time handling must be completed through offline channels.
This progress clears the obstacles for the upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air to enter the Chinese market and also paves the way for domestic mobile phone manufacturers such as Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, and VIVO. After suspending the eSIM service for two years, the three major operators have finally started to substantially promote the implementation of mobile eSIM.
The Ultra-thin Design Drives Change, and the iPhone 17 Air Leads the "Cardless Era"
The morphological revolution of smartphones is driving the evolution of communication technology.
According to previous multiple reports, the upcoming iPhone 17 Air from Apple will adopt an unprecedentedly thin and light design, with the thinnest part of the body being only 5.5 millimeters. This breakthrough design comes at a great cost: the physical SIM card slot is cancelled.
Image source: Internet
To achieve this extremely thin and light design, Apple engineers had to re-evaluate the space occupied by each component.
The traditional nano-SIM card slot and its surrounding structure occupy about 0.3 millimeters of thickness and valuable internal space, which is particularly extravagant in a 5.5-millimeter body.
Image source: Internet
This design decision has led to in-depth games between Apple and domestic operators.
In July 2023, the three major operators suspended the handling of eSIM services on the grounds of "security upgrade". Although users who had already activated the service could continue to use it, new users were unable to apply.
This suspension posed a direct threat to Apple's domestic layout. Without eSIM support, the iPhone 17 Air, which only supports eSIM, would have a hard time in the Chinese market. Industry analysts pointed out that Apple is actively promoting operators to accelerate the implementation of eSIM with its market influence.
Looking back at the development history of SIM cards, from ordinary SIM to Micro SIM and then to Nano SIM, each reduction in size was first adopted by Apple.
The Development of Domestic eSIM Has Not Been Smooth Sailing
Data from the Ministry of Public Security in 2024 showed that the number of fraud cases using eSIM increased by 37% year-on-year. Its authentication, encryption, and protection standards have long been lower than those of physical SIM cards, creating an obvious security gap. Under the security pressure, in July 2023, the three major operators successively issued announcements suspending the acceptance of applications for the one-number dual-terminal service of eSIM watches and the handling of independent eSIM cards. The announcements only cited "business maintenance and upgrade" as the reason, but the industry generally regarded "insufficient security" as the main cause.
In the past two years, operators have adopted a cautious and progressive strategy: giving priority to restoring eSIM services in the Internet of Things and smart wearable fields. After China Mobile restarted eSIM, it was the first to support the OPPO Watch X2 series to provide the "one-number dual-terminal" service.
Image source: OPPO official website
After users activate this service, the smart watch can share the phone bill and data package of the mobile phone number, realizing the independent call function on both the mobile phone and the watch. "It doesn't matter if you forget to bring your phone when going out for a walk or a run," OPPO described the convenience in its promotion.
China Unicom, in cooperation with ZTE, launched a cloud computer PAD product based on eSIM technology and cooperated with Apple, becoming the exclusive eSIM card network operator for iPads at present.
Image source: Apple official website
As of July this year, China Unicom has restored eSIM services in 25 provinces and cities, but the main service targets are still Internet of Things devices and wearable devices.
In the Battle for the First Launch of eSIM, Huawei's New Phone May Take the Lead
While Apple is intensively promoting the implementation of eSIM, Huawei is quietly laying out a battle for the first launch. Multiple sources have confirmed that Huawei plans to release a three-fold flagship mobile phone supporting eSIM in September this year, possibly named Mate XT2 or Mate XTs.
Image source: Huawei official website
This time point is of strategic significance.
The Apple iPhone 17 series is expected to be released in mid-September, while Huawei has chosen to release its new phone in early September. If the schedule remains unchanged, Huawei is expected to become the first domestic smartphone manufacturer to be equipped with eSIM.
Huawei's decision to cancel the physical SIM card slot in its new phone is closely related to the design requirements of its three-fold screen. After all, with the adoption of eSIM technology, the saved space can be used for many things. Whether it is battery layout or body lightweight, this change is particularly important for foldable phones.
In addition to eSIM, the upgraded version of Mate XT will also be equipped with low-orbit satellite direct connection technology (first launched on the Mate X6), enabling direct Internet access in areas without traditional signal coverage. This innovation has pushed Huawei's communication capabilities in extreme environments to a new height, reshaping the communication standards of flagship mobile phones.
Image source: Huawei official website
"While other manufacturers are still solving the problem of whether to have satellite functions, Huawei has stepped into a new stage of broadband interconnection." An industry insider commented on Huawei's technological layout in this way.
What's the Difference Between eSIM and vSIM?
As eSIM is being promoted, consumers need to clarify two easily confused technical concepts: eSIM and vSIM (virtual SIM). Although both belong to the category of "cardless" technologies, there are significant differences in their implementation paths and user experiences.
eSIM is essentially an embedded SIM card, a chip-level solution directly soldered on the device motherboard. Users do not need to insert or remove a physical card, but they need to remotely configure the number and package through the operator's "over-the-air card writing" method. The eSIM technical standard is formulated by GSMA and has a globally unified specification.
vSIM is a completely virtualized solution that does not require any physical chips. It generates a virtual identity on the device through software and directly connects to the mobile network. This technology is commonly used in global Internet access services. Users can switch between network packages in different countries and regions with one click. One of the representatives is Huawei's "SkyPass" service.
Image source: Huawei official website
The popularization of eSIM will bring multiple innovations in user experience. Seamless interconnection of multiple devices makes it possible for watches and tablets to share mobile phone numbers; the cost of international roaming is expected to be reduced by 70%; the reliability of devices is improved, eliminating the problem of poor contact caused by liquid ingress into the card slot or vibration; billions of plastic SIM cards' production waste can be reduced every year.
However, the popularization still faces challenges. Data shows that 73% of elderly users prefer physical cards. The details of the tariff are not yet clear, and security risks still need to be vigilant. Initially, only high-end models support eSIM, and mid - and low - end mobile phones will retain the dual - solution of "physical + eSIM".
Operators Are Making Collective Efforts, and the Nationwide Roll - out of eSIM Is Counting Down
China Unicom's page test is not an isolated event. The three major operators are currently accelerating the implementation of eSIM services, striving to complete the technical preparations before September. As a pioneer, China Unicom has restored eSIM service support in 25 provinces and cities.
China Mobile's eSIM system optimization is nearly completed, and the nationwide roll - out is counting down, only waiting for the final business launch instruction.
China Telecom, which is relatively lagging behind, is also taking active actions. Internal sources said that the company is accelerating the formulation of industry specifications and is expected to follow up and open eSIM services within this year.
Behind the change in operators' attitudes is the maturity of the industrial ecosystem. After two years of technological research and development, significant progress has been made in eSIM security management and control.
At the same time, the domestic eSIM industrial chain has taken initial shape: chip manufacturers such as Unisoc and ASR Microelectronics have the mass - production capacity of eSIM chips; module manufacturers such as Quectel and Fibocom have launched a large number of cellular modules supporting eSIM.
Balancing interests remains a key challenge. eSIM technology may intensify the competition among users to switch networks, and operators need to guard against the security risks of "over - the - air card writing" being used for fraud.
The market research institution GSMA predicts that by the end of 2025, the number of global eSIM smartphone connections will reach 1 billion, and this number will soar to 6.9 billion by 2030, accounting for three - quarters of the total number of smartphone connections.
For elderly users, 73% still prefer physical SIM cards. The tariff standards of eSIM are not yet clear, and operators also need to guard against the security risks of "over - the - air card writing" being used for fraud.
However, regardless of the challenges, the cardless era of mobile communication has begun.
This article is from the WeChat public account "Unobjective Laboratory". The author is Lu. It is published by 36Kr with authorization.