© Andrew Becks/Pixabay
The physical SIM card is destined to gradually disappear. In fact, more and more brands are offering smartphones that support eSIM technology, a dematerialized version of the SIM card. And Apple goes even further. In the United States, its latest iPhones only support eSIM. And with the launch of its new iPad Pro and iPad Air, Apple has gone even further.
Indeed, everywhere in the world, these new iPads no longer have slots for physical SIM cards. But as the world gradually adopts eSIM, an improved version of the technology is already gaining ground: iSIM. To support eSIM, manufacturers must install a separate eSIM module on their products. iSIM, for its part, integrates the functionalities of the SIM card directly into the processor, or on another component.
And among the companies developing this technology, there is Qualcomm. iSIM technology was already deployable on the Snapdragon 8 gen 2 smartphone chip, which the company unveiled at the end of 2022. “The new iSIM can now provide device manufacturers with new opportunities to save space and reduce construction and supply chain costs while maintaining the best level of security in its category”, Qualcomm explained in its announcement.
Growth of 1 200 % in sight
In any case, we now expect that adoption of iSIM by various manufacturers of electrical appliances will accelerate in the coming years. In a report published this May, the company Juniper predicts that the number of iSIMs installed on connected devices could increase from 800,000 in 2024 to more than 10 million in 2026. This would correspond to a growth of 1 200 %.
This growth would be driven by a new specification from the GSMA, the organization that represents the telecommunications industry. Indeed, this specification would allow the industry to install iSIM profiles on devices during production. This would make it easier for manufacturers to sell devices that have cellular connectivity preconfigured on the desired network.
Juniper has also identified device types on which the adoption of iSIM should be immediate, such as energy meters, or devices used in logistics. Indeed, energy saving and space saving are important in these applications.
- La iSIM technology is an improved version of eSIM
- The operation is the same, but it allows manufacturers to save space by integrating the functionality of the SIM card into the processor (instead of using a separate eSIM module)
- This technology is already offered by Qualcomm on certain chips for smartphones
- And according to a study by Juniper, the number of ’ iSIM installed on connected devices will increase by 1 200 % by 2026
📍 To not miss any news from Presse-citron, follow us on Google News and WhatsApp.
[ ]