eSIM
 

I didn't realize the long-awaited eSIM was actually a thing, but apparently it has been supported in a couple of Android phones for a bit now. Apple has jumped on the bandwagon with the new iPhone Xs and Xs Max. I know manufacturers have been trying to get eSIM functionality in their phones for a while, and always heard that the carriers were fighting them. Apparently the carriers finally gave in.

Has anyone used an eSIM in their travels? How's it work?

Here's Apple's discussion of it:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044

This is silly, just Apple trying to pass of as innovation what has been available in the rest of the world. The fact it's an "eSIM" is the only novelty, but conversly most carriers won't support it. A ton of high-end and entry-level Android phones already support dual SIM with two physical SIMs, I use two SIMs in my phone all the time.

They have a list of several carriers that do support it. I am aware that other phones support two physical SIMs. That isn't new, and it's not what I'm talking about.

Apple's entire business model lies in taking smallish innovations that others did a while ago with little fanfare, giving them a slick marketing name and trumpeting them as if they were an amazing breakthrough. But that's also not what they're doing here.

I just thought eSIM was cool.

It seems like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon support it in the US. For US-based folks, this will probably be helpful, as it will allow you to have your incumbent carrier on the eSIM, then put in any microSIM from another provider. Although, T-Mobile has made it especially easy to do away with the dual SIM concept with their DIGITS app. Now I don't have to forward my TMo number to my Google Voice, and I have three phone numbers on one phone.

It feels like Apple finally came around to supporting this as roaming charges came way down, but I get that the Chinese market is different in this regard.

I'd really love to see eSIM QR codes available in vending machines when I get off a plane in a foreign country. Haven't noticed one yet. They'll have to be pretty cheap and easy to be worthwhile, though.

DIGITS is kinda flaky, though.

As for eSIM, hopefully the concept gains traction on Android as well as iOS. Installing a SIM card in a phone isn't exactly a huge hassle but it would be nice not to have to.

It's strange that the support page only mentions the XS and XS Max. However, Apple says that the XR also has an eSIM and nano-SIM. on the model compare page at https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/.

DIGITS worked well for me when I was on a prepaid plan in Australia for month earlier this year.

At least for eSim, it looks like it'll support multiple profiles(but only one active at a time), which means you still have some flexibility. I think it's going to matter if carriers are gonna let us sign up for prepaid on a eSim(and how easily that is done).

Apple's ad hoc end-user provisioning is something new, the first eSIM devices in the US were early Sprint LTE devices that were locked down cold.

What seems silly to me is criticizing Apple for simply stating "here's how you use this new feature." Where are they "trying to pass of as innovation"?


Such blatant puffery??

I wonder if they will sell the physical dual-SIM model in Hong Kong, or will it just be in China? I prefer the dual SIM option, as I assume there is likely no way ATT will support the e-sim in their prepaid plans which is what I use.

AT&T's website says this, for what it's worth:

I own an Apple iPhone X and a ZTE Axon 7. I would prefer to have a dual SIM iPhone, but don't want to empower my carrier too much. I have ATT's international unlimited for data. I love Apple's LTE band support. I love a lot of things about the iPhone. I prefer Apple Pay to Android Pay. I prefer the single secure password vault to the app-by-app approach I see in Android.

I don't love how I can't change some of the default apps for third party equivalents. I prefer Android Auto to Car Play and more relevant to this discussion, I like the apps that are country aware and will automatically change dialer settings when I cross a border. I prefer how Android gives the power to me rather than my carrier to make various settings. For example, with ATT I can't play a video with a lightening cable to an HDMI set because ATT has locked out tethering because of my data plan. Are those settings going to lock me out even if I switch data to other SIM in slot 1. I would also prefer to SIM slots to an ESIM, but would really like both.

At least on my Axon, I hate the fact that I can't stream most music through my USB and have to use inferior Bluetooth. My iPhone never seems to lockup. I have been frustrated at times with my Axon. While it is normally not a big deal, when driving it can be a huge deal.

When Apple announced the Xs, I was about to preorder it. I've since decided to wait and see how the implementation goes.

Does this mean that I can't use this phone with my unlimited international plan (at least with a local SIM card in the other slot)?

I have an iPhone 6s when I download IOS 12 will I get an Esim? Just wondering.

Something tells me you're going to need to read the fine print of your grandfathered AT&T plan. Knowing AT&T, they might try to force you off of it for some stupid reason.

You can't use Lightning to HDMI adapters on your plan? Should be using internal phone data.

Nope. eSIM is only for the new XS and XS Max.

I thought that but was not sure.

Hong Kong sell the X max with physical dual sim card model.

The physical dual SIM models will be sold in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

But can i buy the physical dual sim model on my holiday in Hong Kong and activate and use it after i leave Hong Kong?
I'm interested in the new X Max but as i live in Thailand we don't get it here.
Or i'm going for holiday to Hong Kong or somebody will take one for me back to Thailand but i don't know if this is possible for the activation.

The XS Max will be on sale Sept 21 in Hong Kong. Just put your Thailand SIM in it and activate it as the primary. Then put in the HK SIM as secondary.

I understand but i don't have a HK SIM and want to use it in Thailand.
So if somebody brings the phone from HK to Thailand for me can i activate the phone in Thailand with my Thai SIM?

You should be able to if you're buying an unlocked version.

And XR ;)

Really? This page doesn't mention it:

https://support.apple.com/en-md/HT209044

Edit: I guess you're right. It is listed here:

https://www.apple.com/iphone-xr/specs/

I do. Most the videos were downloaded ahead of time over wifi. Prime is pretty good about allowing you to download videos ahead of time. I

Whether music streaming to my car stereo is any different to listening them through buds seems to be a debatable question.

Hong Kong SIMs are supercheap. I'd just grab one to be safe. After Apple kept insisting that they had to activate my ATT SIM on my unlocked iPhones. (I wait until the device neutral one comes out), I started purchasing el cheapo SIMs and just taking those in to ATT rather than letting them get near my iPhone international SIM. The $10 'tax' seems with it.

Just to be clear, the device neutral one is out with the rest this time. I got one already.

Thanks. I'm going to take my Toggle Nano SIM down to Apple and push a new phone. My ATT contract SIM will stay at home.

Let's say you live in England. You have 3 as your mobile carrier. 3 sells iPhone XS & Xmax but don't use the esim. How is that going to work? Will, they adapt to the esim or just use the sim card?
What numbers are you going to put on your esim? Your sim card works all over Europe so no advantage there. I travel to the Middle East frequently. I saw no carriers there use the esim. Just wondering how this is going to work out.

If your carrier doesn't support eSIM, then you will have to use the physical SIM. It's up to the carrier to move over to eSIM or not. The eSIM number will be empty until you add a carrier that supports it. So the advantage only exists if one carrier supports eSIM.

That's too bad. I was kinda hoping there'd be a way to convert your IMEI or something into a QR code and just do it without them knowing. But I guess it's a somewhat different technology.

If it was that easy that would make the "bad old days" of cell phone cloning look like a walk in the park :)