The eSIM market is growing and there is already talk of iSIM. The global eSIM market is growing and owes a lot to Apple since it decided to integrate technology into its devices that allows you to use a cellular plan without having to use a physical nano-SIM on iPhone XS and later.
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This is what was reported in a white paper by Juniper Research which shows that there are just under a billion devices compatible with eSIMs in the world (986 million devices), a figure that is expected to reach 3.5 billion in 2027. Among the reasons for the expected growth of the eSIM market, the support of more and more manufacturers besides Apple, including companies like Google and Samsung.
According to some analysts, Apple would like to impose the use of eSIMs in Europe as early as 2023 with the iPhone 15 (completely eliminating the slot for inserting the SIM). In China, the eSIM market is also lagging due to the availability of phones (including iPhones) in dual SIM variants which have so far limited the expansion of eSIM technology.
Juniper Research predicts that the number of smartphones connected with eSIM will increase from 103 million in 2023 to 385 million in 2027 if specific eSIM standards are implemented in China.
“Despite carrier concerns about the disruptive impact of eSIMs on their current business model, growing support from smartphone manufacturers will further put pressure on carriers” to push eSIMs further, writes Scarlett Woodford, author of the book white by Juniper Research. “In response, service providers will need to support eSIM connectivity to avoid the hemorrhaging of subscribers as technology awareness grows.”
After the eSIM, the future is called iSIM (acronym for integrated SIM), an evolution with functions of the classic SIUM integrated directly into the chipset of the Soc. in the device hardware and making it possible to manage functionality directly in the SoC architecture of the or in the connectivity chip inside the device.
For the moment, the target of the iSIM is connected objects, but the possibility of freeing up further precious space will not escape smartphone manufacturers.