Samsung Electronics Likely to Follow Suit
Apple is predicted to release a USIM-less eSIM smartphone next year. Unlike a USIM, an eSIM is incorporated in a smartphone from the beginning. Both are used for subscriber identification.
Apple released the iPhone XS in September 2018 and it is Apple’s first dual-SIM smartphone. Apple is planning to remove the USIM because the removal of the physical subscriber identity module leads to an increase in space inside the device. “Chipsets supporting various frequencies can be mounted in that space, and then Apple does not have to customize the phone for use in different countries,” said an industry source.
“The other smartphone manufacturers including Samsung Electronics are likely to follow suit once Apple releases a USIM-less eSIM smartphone, and then various governments are likely to come up with more eSIM-related policies,” he added. The first Samsung smartphone with the embedded subscriber identity module is the Galaxy S20 for customers outside South Korea, which was released last year. The first eSIM service in South Korea is scheduled for September next year.
According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, eSIM smartphones are estimated to account for half of all smartphones in 2025.