This week, Android communities on the web were stirred up after thepotential lack of a SIM card tray on the Pixel 8became apparent. While it’s unclear whether Google plans to ship eSIM-only versions of its next phones — and, frankly, we’d lean towards it not happening this year — it did cement a certainconcern surrounding the future of the SIM card. With Apple having ditched it for eSIM exclusively in the US, could Android manufacturers be ready to make the jump next? And, more importantly, how will consumers respond?
Scrolling through the comments on my Pixel 8 report from earlier this week, it’s clear eSIM has some vocal opponents. I can hardly blame them; although I prefer to use eSIM when traveling to save time and, in some cases, money, I’ve also found it to be a hell of a headache on Android. And while Google is working on improving these factors, I can’t imagine a world where eSIM ever feels easier than swapping out a card from one phone to the next. And as AP’s Phones Editor, well, I have to do that a lot.
But most people don’t — in fact, with more people holding onto phones for longer than ever before, it’s starting to seem like the downsides surrounding eSIM could be overblown. And make no mistake, there areplenty of reasons to like eSIM. In addition to making traveling a hell of a lot easier, SIM trays can be fragile and easily lost. As mycolleague Manuel Vonau wrote last year, it’s also an accessibility issue; nano SIMs are small and can be difficult for those with limited vision or mobility to use.
Nevertheless, I’m sure this week’s poll has a foregone conclusion. Although I’m sure the readers of Android Police wouldprefera phone with a SIM tray — even if they choose to useeSIM on phones that support it— I’d like to know how many of you would actually purchase a device without one. This doesn’t have to be a decision you’re particularly enthusiastic about; rather, I just want to know if, say, it’d be a dealbreaker for a phone you otherwise desperately wanted.
