How eSIM is revolutionizing wireless technology

Embedded Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs) have grown rapidly over the past five years and are expected to be installed in more than 3.4 billion devices worldwide by 2025, up from 1.2 billion in 2021.

Unlike regular SIM cards, which users have to manually insert into their devices, eSIMs are automatically embedded in every device and can be controlled and updated remotely. This gives it some unique benefits that revolutionize the way businesses and consumers think about wireless technology.

eSIM has been a topic of conversation for nearly a decade, but consumers and businesses have only recently begun to understand the potential of this technology. Google pioneered the use of eSIM on mobile devices, integrating it into the Google Pixel 2 in 2017. Apple then popularized the eSIM concept by incorporating it into the iPhone XS in 2018. Since then, the market has exploded - by the end of 2023, eSIM is expected to be worth $4 billion.

The versatility of eSIM is its greatest strength. It can easily store multiple profiles at once and quickly switch between them. This brings exciting benefits. Frequent travelers can instantly change to a local SIM card to avoid expensive international roaming charges.

Enterprises can optimize their technology and streamline key processes in the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve the efficiency of daily operations. The birth of eSIM opens up a new world of technological possibilities.

Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects with software that allows them to communicate with other “things.” This concept can be found in many modern smart homes. Thermostats, refrigerators, lights, and speakers often contain sensors that allow them to detect changes and respond to voice commands. The most important potential of the eSIM is to revolutionize this industry.

The Internet of Things has several challenges to overcome in the future, with scalability and security being two of the biggest threats. Fortunately, eSIM looks like it can overcome both challenges.

Benefits of eSIM

The potential for eSIM to revolutionize wireless technology is an exciting prospect. Let’s look at some of the core ways eSIM offers new opportunities for businesses and consumers.

1. Mobile phone

eSIM offers several valuable benefits to mobile phone users. One of the biggest appeals of eSIM is its ease of setup and use. Instead of waiting for a new SIM card to be mailed, consumers can simply sign up with a new carrier, receive a QR code, and have their eSIM set up in minutes.

eSIM also gives consumers more freedom to choose their network. All phones with eSIM are unlocked, which means users can change operators as often as they want. This will increase competition and lead to a more user-centric mobile phone industry.

2. Production

eSIM has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry by providing manufacturers with new ways to complete large-scale IoT projects.

eSIMs are smaller, more secure, easier to update, and less susceptible to human error. This allows businesses to expand their operations without having to worry about losing control of day-to-day processes. Over time, eSIMs should give manufacturers the confidence to address a wider range of businesses and increase their economies of scale.

3. Transportation

With eSIM, businesses that ship globally can monitor and track the movement of packages around the world in real time. Under normal circumstances, workers must replace physical SIM cards at each new destination unless the business wants to incur roaming charges. With eSIM, this is not a problem because the eSIM can be quickly updated to reflect the new location of the package.

This means lower costs to connect with local carriers, greater package security, and lower international shipping costs.

4. Vehicles

The automotive industry has embraced eSIM technology with open arms. It is expected that the number of connected cars on the road will increase from 84 million in 2021 to more than 305 million by 2035.

eSIM will play a major role in simplifying connected cars for businesses. Manufacturers can equip every new car with the same eSIM model, regardless of the car’s destination. Vehicles can be tracked in real time and can only be programmed once they arrive in the destination country.

Consumers also benefit from in-car eSIM technology. Optimized 5G support and more secure connections allow drivers to make uninterrupted calls and receive real-time traffic updates. In addition, if a customer moves their car to another country or sells it to someone else, the company can instantly reprogram the eSIM to accommodate these changes.

5. Security system

With the home security industry growing at an astonishing rate, companies are often integrating eSIMs into alarms, sensors, and control systems.

Using IoT, the eSIM can securely connect sensors to a centralized, independent connection that cannot be tampered with. This connection can seamlessly connect to a monitoring service, allowing the service to update the security system and remotely provision every sensor in the house.

Beyond eSIM technology

This technology not only makes it easier for users to manage their mobile connections. Nevertheless, it also opens up new possibilities for IoT devices and connected devices that were previously limited by traditional SIM cards. As 5G networks are rolled out around the world, eSIM technology is expected to be more widely adopted, providing users with faster and more reliable connections.

As the Internet of Things grows, eSIM technology is expected to play a key role in enabling seamless and secure connectivity for everything from smart homes and wearables to cars and industrial equipment. The future of eSIM cards is bright and will continue to play a key role in the wireless technology landscape for years to come.

We’re likely to see businesses push the capabilities of eSIM further, innovating exciting new products that fully utilize the secure, integrated connectivity of the eSIM.

With eSIM connectivity solutions, smart devices will be more connected than ever before. As the cost of using eSIMs for businesses in large IoT projects decreases, we’re likely to see high-quality technology become more affordable around the world.

Despite its evolution, eSIM still has a lot more to offer. Only time will tell how far this technology can advance and what exciting benefits it can bring us in the future.