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Qualcomm revealed this week during MWC 2023 that it will be adding “the world’s first commercially deployable iSIM” (Integrated SIM) to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform.
In other words, Android phones with this chipset will be doing away with swappable SIM cards, opting instead for a hardware solution. Qualcomm achieved this (opens in a new tab) thanks to some help from the French electronics company Thales Group, a name most people familiar with its technology will probably not recognize. That’s because Thales is the same company behind eSIM (Embedded SIM) present on the iPhone 14 line. Basically, Qualcomm is bringing Apple tech to Android. The difference with this new hardware is that it will be integrated (hence the name iSIM) on the processor of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 rather than existing as its own chip on the motherboard.
iSIM benefits
On the surface, moving the location of the internal SIM card may seem rather arbitrary; but, according to mail from Thales (opens in a new tab), there are several advantages. First, it “saves space by eliminating the need for a separate component” which allows phone manufacturers to “create smaller and more compact devices”. The result is a phone that is structurally strong and more resistant to damage from dust and water while being “easier to carry”.
The other major advantage of Thales is increased security. He claims that since the iSIM is embedded directly into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, bad actors or whoever will have a harder time trying to gain unauthorized access to a device. The technology is also said to allow for “over-the-air provisioning, making it easier for carriers to manage their customers’ devices.”
travel woes
Not all Android users may welcome this news, however.
The issue could be with iSIM phones not working in other countries. People who travel abroad often buy prepaid SIM cards (opens in a new tab) so they can continue using their phone without shelling out a ton of money to their cellular provider for roaming charges. Of course, you can’t do this on eSIM phones because the chip is attached directly to the hardware. So what if the same thing happens on iSIM devices?
The post says the technology can connect to multiple carriers; a feature that Thales specifically describes as “useful for customers who travel internationally frequently”. It claims users will be able to “switch carriers as needed without buying a new SIM card”. However, that depends on other countries supporting iSIM in the first place. For example, if you look at the regions and carriers that support Apple’s eSIM (opens in a new tab), there is not much to choose from. The United States offers the most extensive support with multiple carriers supporting the technology. However, across Europe and Asia, the support pool is much smaller.
It is not known when and where the first iteration of iSIM will be rolled out. Qualcomm states that it predicts “global iSIM shipments” to hit 300 million by 2027, so perhaps within the next four years or so. Hopefully, by then, support will not be so limited.
