The question is not whether the eSIM will replace physical SIM cards. The question is when

We have been telling you for years how technology eSIM It is gaining ground little by little, so much so that today it is normal for smartphones to include these chips as a complement to physical SIM cards. It is a technology with its advantages and disadvantages, But it is increasingly clear that the idea is not that both technologies coexist, but that the eSIM ends up making physical cards disappear. At least that is the direction in which the industry seems to be heading if we look at the steps of recent years. This makes the question no longer whether it will happen, but when will it start to happen. There are no dates or calendars set for this technological change, but there are data and projections that seem to point to the next decade. The slow but sure adoption of the eSIM Evolution of SIM cards. Source: Thalesgroup Since their creation in 1991, SIM cards have become smaller and smaller. SIMs began to become MiniSIM, and then they became MicroSIM, and then the NanoSIM that the vast majority of mobile phones currently use. The next evolutionary step was eSIMan internal chip of the mobile phone where the data that has always been on the SIM cards can be downloaded and installed. This opens the door for you to have on your mobile not only the data of your operator, but also that of other third-party services specialized in cheap eSIM such as Saily of NordVPN and the like. Saily eSIM in +200 destinations, prepaid and with an extra level of security The price could vary. We earn commission from these links eSIM chips were created in the last decade, and over the years they have also been miniaturized to take up less and less space. But one thing is the existence of technology and another its implementation on commercial deviceswhich has been slow. First they began to arrive at smart watches like the Samsung Gear S2 Classic 3G of 2016, being a solution to give them connectivity without having to spend space in a physical card slot. And in 2017 the first compatible smartphones began to arrive, such as the Pixel 2 from Google (although it was only compatible with Google Fi) and since then they have been reaching more and more mobile phones. Until recently, the eSIM has been implemented as a complementary alternative to the SIM. Almost all users continue to use the SIM, but if you went abroad and needed a data card it was easier to contract an eSIM. There were also the most curious users starting to test this technology. Since then, the eSIM has begun to reach other devices such as home automation products, and even laptops. Some manufacturers like Apple have taken risks to promote the eSIM. First it was in 2022 with the iPhone 14which would be sold without a SIM card slot in the United States, and in 2025 launched the iPhone Aironly with eSIM in the United States, although in Spain it still has a physical slot. But currently this remains a rarity in Europe. The eSIM in Spain It already has the support of almost all operators. Besides, There is research that points Because in 2024, 70% of new mobile phones had support for this technology, and 10 to 15% did not have a physical SIM slot, numbers that will gradually grow. What are the benefits of the eSIM The main benefit of the eSIM is that you no longer have to request cards when contracting a service. And if you port, you won’t have to wait for a card to be sent to you either, although this will always depend on the method the operator uses to synchronize the eSIM, since sometimes you will need to receive documentation. Of course, you should know that activating an eSIM can take hours, or even a couple of days, until they send you the necessary keys. Furthermore, in all ports you will be asked for your identification by law, and depending on the operator you may even need to physically go to a store, something that is to avoid fraud. You won’t need to order duplicate SIMs either. if you want to use your data or phone number on multiple devices. In addition, there will be more facilities for using more than one data or calling rate on a single mobile phone, since there is support for storing the profiles of different operators and changing them as needed. There are also other advantages such as greater security. No one will be able to remove your SIM and steal it, because it is integrated and cannot be accessed. Besides, manufacturers save space physically inside their phones as they do not have this slot, something they can take advantage of, for example, to give their batteries more capacity. However, eSIMs also have some disadvantages. The main thing is to change your mobile phone can be somewhat more cumbersome, since it requires an extra process to migrate the data from the digital card. If you change to another mobile phone with the same operating system it is relatively easy, but changing from Android to iPhone or vice versa can be complicated. The eSIM will coexist quite a bit with the SIM No, the physical SIM is not going to disappear overnight. It’s going to be quite a long process. It will probably take more than a decade.although this is something that can always change depending on how manufacturers push in that direction. According to CCS Insight forecasts in 2025 collected by the BBCat the end of 2024 there were 1.3 billion smartphones with eSIM in use, and the figure is expected to reach 3.1 billion in 2030. Therefore, we are going to have sustained growth in mobile phones with eSIM. But this does not mean that traditional SIMs are going to stop being used at the same rate, but rather that most mobile phones will continue to use both technologies for … Read more

I’m not leaving Easter this year without an eSIM on my mobile: these are the ones I’m considering

I’m going on vacation for a few days at Easter and the last thing I want is worries. Not having Internet on your mobile is something that can be avoided by arriving at your destination and using roaming, public WiFi or buying a SIM from a local seller. What’s happening? That the first thing can cause a scare on the mobile bill, that the second may be unsafe and the third, a torture. Because I want to avoid this (and also because I admit that I like to have everything tied up before getting on a plane), I’m going to get an eSIM these days. It is installed on the mobile in just a few minutes and in a simple way, without using any skewer. Besides, you can leave it configuredto and, when you arrive, have Internet on your mobile to take a look at Google Maps or to use WhatsApp, for example. {“videoId”:”xa0p3mw”,”autoplay”:true,”title”:”How an AI DEVICE saved me 1 month of taking notes: This was my experience with PLAUD NOTE PRO”, “tag”:”Webedia-prod”, “duration”:”1611″} I’m still not sure which one I’m going to choose, but I can show you. the eSIMs that I have on my radar right now. eSimFLAG This company offers unlimited data plans at quite attractive prices, especially now that it has an active promotion. Using the code ‘XATAKA’, we get three days of free unlimited data by signing up for four days or more. A practical example: six days of eSimFLAG in Argentina have a price of 21 euros, but if we use the code above, the final amount remains at 10.50 euros. Saily Another top option is offered by Saily, a company owned by NordSecurity (which is also behind NordVPN, one of the best VPNs). That translates to being a very secure and easy-to-use eSIMbut it also offers very good prices. Here we must keep in mind that Saily does not offer unlimited plans, although the ones it offers are very interesting, especially if we are going to be away for a long time. For example, thirty days of eSIM in Argentina costs 5.29 euros (with 3 GB of data). Air it Airalo is an option halfway between the previous two in terms of plans, since it allows us to choose if we want a fixed amount of data or prefer unlimited data. That makes it versatile.plus it is also easy to install. Returning to Argentina, for a 7-day trip, having an eSIM with 3 GB of data costs 9 euros. If we prefer unlimited data, then the price is 31.50 euros for the same period of time. Hellofly One of the most popular eSIMs for travel is Holafly, which also offers unlimited data. It is an interesting alternative if you plan to spend a lot of data, watching videos, for example. It is also quite configurable, being able to choose the number of days and the number of days we are going to travel. Repeating destination, seven days in Argentina of unlimited data come out 33.90 euros (that is, 4.84 euros per day). In Compradicción El Corte Inglés offers a 50% discount on the coffee maker with integrated grinder that fits in any kitchen Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | FreePik, eSimFLAG, Saily, Airalo, Holafly In Xataka | From eSIM to SIM: how to go back to the physical card if you regret the change In Xataka | How to request an eSIM from each operator in Spain: in which cases it is free and application methods (function() { window._JS_MODULES = window._JS_MODULES || {}; var headElement = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)(0); if (_JS_MODULES.instagram) { var instagramScript = document.createElement(‘script’); instagramScript.src=”https://platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js”; instagramScript.async = true; instagramScript.defer = true; headElement.appendChild(instagramScript); – The news I’m not leaving Easter this year without an eSIM on my mobile: these are the ones I’m considering was originally published in Xataka by Juan Lorente .

Saily’s eSIM now has a discount with Xataka Xtra

At Xataka we travel a lot to cover presentations or learn about new products, often outside of Spain, and from our own experience we have long been running away from unreliable public Wi-Fi networks or roaming (some scary bills have already reached us). Instead, we pull eSIM services like Sailywhich from now on is included as one of the advantages of Xataka Xtra. From the creators of NordVPN: a secure and well-functioning eSIM We decided to try Saily because it has been developed by the team behind NordVPN, which for us is one of the best vpn. They have mixed the privacy and security philosophy that they use at Nord and combined it with data packs at a good price. Some of its main features: Instant connection: If you have ever had to stop at an airport to buy a physical SIM card, you will know how annoying it is. With the Saily app, you choose your destination (there are more than 200 available), you sign up for the plan and you already have data before you even get off the plane. Emphasis on security: Unlike hotel Wi-Fi, where you share a network with strangers and expose yourself to data theft and hacking, using Saily’s eSIM is like navigating a private tunnel. It connects directly to cell towers, so your traffic is shielded by professional mobile security standards. In addition, Saily includes a ‘shield’ in its interface that blocks ads and dangerous websites before they reach your mobile phone, very useful for when you don’t know the pages in another language that you usually visit when you are abroad. No surprises: Saily is prepaid. You choose how many GB you need and how much you want to spend. There are no contracts or fine print, so you will avoid any scares when you return home. Saily eSIM in +200 destinations, prepaid and with an extra level of security The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Why do we like Saily? You can imagine: at Xataka we have tested many eSIMs and other connectivity solutions, but what we like most about Saily is its simplicity: One-click installation: No more configuring complicated APNs or removing and inserting cards with a clip. It is 100% digital. Almost global coverage: Whether you are going to Thailand, Brazil or Canada, Saily offers plans to more than 200 international destinations with very reasonable prices. 24/7 Support: If you have any problem during your trip, the support team responds quickly both by chat and email. One more advantage for being from Xataka Xtra If you are part of Xataka Xtrayou will get a 10% discount on any new international eSIM with Saily. Whether you have a getaway planned or a business trip, this eSIM is one of the best we have tested and thanks to Xataka Xtra you can get it even cheaper. In Xataka | eSIM in Spain: all operators, compatible devices, prices and conditions (2026)

Apple forces its users to go to ESIM

Apple is about to make the definitive leap towards technology esim also in the rest of the countries. Cupertino’s company has announced that will eliminate the physical sim of your new iPhone Air Recently presented, including the devices that are marketed in Spain. The decision is not far from what he was doing in the United States, because in that country it has been like this From the iPhone 14. Goodbye to physical sim. While in the United States they have been living with iPhones without SIM groove for about three years, the rest of the countries had remained out of this transition. Runrún sounded a few weeks ago when sources close to Apple confirmed That the employees of their European stores had received specific training on iPhone compatible only with ESIM. According to these sources, the training should be completed before September 5, days prior to the official presentation of the terminals. What models will be affected. Here in Spain, only the iPhone Air arrives with ESIM exclusively. However, for the rest of the family, Apple has developed versions only with Esim for Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the Virgin Islands of the United States. This means that models of iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro They will exclusively adopt ESIM technology in the aforementioned countries. It seems that Europe is saved at the moment. In the case of the Air, which replaces the iPhone Plus in the range, it has a thickness of just 5.5 millimeters at its thinner point, so the space is significantly lower to place a sim card tray. The rest of the models will follow the same strategy for the countries mentioned by the company’s commercial decision. It only remains to know when this decision will affect us for the rest of the terminals. What Apple defends. The company argues that ESIM offers greater security than the natural, since they cannot be extracted from a lost or stolen iPhone. In addition, a single device can manage up to eight esim different simultaneously, eliminating the need to carry, exchange or mislead physical cards during trips. For Apple, it is a logical step towards the complete digitalization of its devices, a small more step towards An iPhone without physical ports. The challenge of the operators In Spain. Although the main Spanish operators such as Movistar, Vodafone and Orange They already support Esimadoption is not yet total. Some OMV operators and prepaid rates have not yet fully implemented this technology. Therefore, if you end up opting for an iPhone Air, you will have to verify in advance if your current operator is compatible with Esim. However, everything indicates that there will not be much left so that the rest of the operators who have not already done it, end up being compatible with technology. And now what. As we reviewed, users who depend on natural cards will have to plan their transition during the next months if they are going to opt for an iPhone Air. Those who change their operators frequently travel with local SIMs or use company devices with specific cards will have to take an eye to get an ESIM and continue using the device normally. The good thing is that the iPhone allows you to manage up to a maximum of eight ESIM, something very comfortable for when we travel. Cover image | Apple More information | Apple In Xataka | The United States does not accept a “no” by response for the 100% American iPhone. And Apple is starting to give in

How to turn your Sim card into Esim into the iPhone

Let’s tell you how convert a SIM card into Esim into the iPhoneso you don’t need to use the physical card on your mobile. A esim It is like a SIM but digital card, so you will no longer run the risk that the SIM card spoils for some reason. But you should know that If you do this your SIM card will be unused. This means that the iPhone will extract the data and the SIM will remain as a piece of useless cardboard that you can no longer use in your current iPhone or any other device, you will simply have digitized it. Turn your Sim ESIM into iOS The first thing you have to do is, with the SIM, on the iPhone, enter the settings. Once inside, click on the section Mobile data that will appear in the first block of options. Once within the section of Mobile datago to the section that has the name of your operator. There, click on the option of Become Esim That will appear in blue. This will take you to a screen in which you are told if the SIM card you use right now allows you to convert the number into ESIM. Remember that It is an irreversible step. If you want to move on, click on the button Become Esim That appears in blue. Now, you will have to complete a process in which to press in confirmation buttons in several steps, something that will take you less than a minute. Once you finish, your iPhone will already be working with Esim, and you can remove the physical card and throw it, since it will have stopped working forever. If in the future you have to use a SIM, you will have to ask for a duplicate, it does not work anymore. In Xataka Basics | ISIM: What is and main advantages over the SIM and Esim

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