eSIM Functionality Available in iOS 12.1, But Carrier Support is Required

[pika2000]

I second that on multiple accounts.

Having 1 eSIM + 1 physical SIM or 2 physical SIMs doesn't really matter. What really matters is whether there is 'dual apps' function like the one on Xiaomi or Samsung phone. If possible, on top of 'dual apps', multiple users (aka 'User Profiles' on Android 5.0 on phone) should also be added (presumably in the use case of iPad in family).

In the case of Hong Kong, most Android phones here do have 2 physical SIM slots. What are they for? Well people here nowadays make very few phone calls. One of the prominent reasons is to use the 1st SIM as the main phone number + data plan, and the 2nd SIM card can be a pre-paid SIM card with higher data cap so if the 1st SIM is running out of data allowance, the 2nd SIM card can be the backup.

Another use case would be the 1st SIM is always in use for everything (phone call, data, SMS), and the 2nd SIM is just for receiving SMS for some phone number-specific applications like WhatsApp. For example, with dual apps on an Android phone, people can have one WhatsApp for personal use (with the 1st SIM number) and another WhatsApp for joining company / organisation WhatsApp groups for work-related purposes (with the 2nd SIM number). Even iPhone now comes with 'dual SIM' support, one cannot have 2 WhatsApp apps on an iPhone, thus having the need to carry a 2nd phone.

iPhone XS / XS Max / XR is crippled in this respect IMHO. It all comes down to iOS. So 2 things: dual apps and multiple users (especially in the use case of iPad).

This dual app stuff is great, but take note that this is only happening recently. Even stock Android doesn't support it yet. First implementation on MiUI was also quite buggy (eg. second whatsapp cannot be backed up to Google drive). Not all OEMs support this either (as far as I know, mostly just the Chinese OEMs and Samsung).

Considering this is Apple's first time implementing some sort of dual SIM feature, I can give them leeway for not immediately came up with the same solutions as some Android OEMs. I bet if Apple wanted to allow the dual app feature, they want to make sure their iMessage stuff is ready to support it as well.

 

[Omen87]

I understand not being able to connect to two different CDMA carriers at once, such as Verizon and Sprint. However, could you have two lines from the same carrier? I currently carry a separate work phone and both my work phone and personal phone use Verizon. Could I have both Verizon lines on one phone?

 

[calstanford]

It's a different world now. Apple isn't market dominating. And they can't get their dumb esim though. 99.9% of world providers don't support it. And if that's the case I don't see what use this feature is. Especially as esims have zero advantages for end users.

 

[I7guy]

It's a different world now. Apple isn't market dominating. And they can't get their dumb esim though. 99.9% of world providers don't support it. And if that's the case I don't see what use this feature is. Especially as esims have zero advantages for end users.

I don’t agree with this. For an example, look at how Apple Pay adoption is going.

Esim will gain momentum because it’s Apple behind it.

 

[jcbauerca]

Yeah. Those dicks.

I’m thinking a pre-paid T-Mobile esim situation when i travel can be helpful sometimes; every once in awhile i end up someplace where verizon coverage is a bit spotty but the historically-gsm networks work ok.

I have a Project FI account and I can switch it back and forth from my T-Mobile physical sim to the Project FI ESIM on my Pixel 2 XL. Only one will run at a time so if I get a call from the other SIM number it does not notify me until I switch to the ESIM or vice versa. I have to have the Project FI app running on the phone which allows the switching.

 

[cmwade77]

I don’t agree with this. For an example, look at how Apple Pay adoption is going.

Esim will gain momentum because it’s Apple behind it.

Only 13% for Apple Pay, that isn't great.....Esim will end up dying because it isn't as simple as removing a sim and putting a different one in and because if it is electronic, then the carriers will hate it because it will mean that anyone can unlock the phone once it is hacked (and that will be when, not if).

 

[I7guy]

Only 13% for Apple Pay, that isn't great.....Esim will end up dying because it isn't as simple as removing a sim and putting a different one in and because if it is electronic, then the carriers will hate it because it will mean that anyone can unlock the phone once it is hacked (and that will be when, not if).

13% of people is awesome which puts the number in the 10s of 10s of millions. Have you seen Samsung pay rates. Dismal. Not time to mention Apple Pay is virtually supported everywhere now.

Esim will end up being successful because Apple is behind it. As far as being hacked let’s see a citation to support that. One bets against Apple to their own detriment. @Abazigal

 

[Jovianremix]

I have 2 lines with AT&T. I think it is ridiculous that if you are on the phone with Line 1, then Line 2 goes directly to voicemail without even notifying you of a missed call. This totally defeats the purpose of having a dual sim for a personal and work phone. Any chance this can change in the future with a software update or is this how the hardware has to function?

 

[justperry]

As you are a frequent flyer you should know it's very easy to get a physical sim both inside and directly after customs at Bangkok airport

OT
I didn't say I am a frequent flyer, I hate flying, most doing overland, visited Thailand many time but I think I arrived at BKK airport only once or twice.

 

[fischersd]

Guys - eSIM is a GSMA standard that was ratified a couple of years ago. The carriers have been dragging their feet - Apple's been the one to actually get them to do it - the AW3 got a lot of them to get off of their asses.

Apple really should have made the designation for contacts for Work or Personal. Then you can designate which SIM/eSIM lines are used for Work, Personal or Mixed. (as the use cases are to have a work line, a personal line and then additional carrier profiles assigned to the eSIM while you travel).

People really should just stop worrying about CDMA...it's going away. LTE stands for Long Term Evolution - it's where the GSM and CDMA technology roadmaps merged - the only reason that CDMA networks are still live is to allow people to continue to use old handsets...hopefully the last of these is wound down in 2019. Oh...and there's both GSM and CDMA code in LTE.

I think it'll likely be 2020 that a lot of us will finally be able to get an iPhone without a physical SIM slot. If we're wireless charging by that point and drop the lightning or USB-C port by then, Apple could potentially give their phones a "swim proof" rating (for those people that continue to want to go swimming with their phones for some reason)

Oh...and people asking as to why you can't have multiple lines associated with a single phone? Be it CDMA or GSM - it doesn't matter - that's just an end point that can be addressed by the carriers (call routing rules) - there's no reason that they couldn't give you multiple phone numbers - work, personal, etc, etc on your phone - there just weren't enough customers asking for it to make it worthwhile (and where's the upside for the carrier? - they still want their pound of flesh).

An example of good routing...I think it was MCI that did their "one" number - having a number that rang on your landline, your cell phone, your car, your work phone at the same time - whichever came off-hook first, got the call. Each still had a distinct number, but they also offered a group "hunt" number that was assigned.

One of the reasons that the carriers claimed that they needed the SIM locks was to enforce their contracts....isn't that what the actual legal contracts are for guys??? We all know the reason was to keep you from jumping ship when a competitor offered a better plan...making it worthwhile for you to pay the penalties to get out of your contract and jump ship.

Hopefully the FCC one day makes the US carriers finally give up the SIM lock nonsense.

 

[alphaod]

So, China doesn't support eSIMs. Does anyone know whether they will have any issue with a US Xs Max version with an eSIM for a US carrier such as TMobile and then using a Chinese carrier for the physical sim card slot?

You mean to use in China? What they have a problem with? They don't support activating eSIMs, but the underlying technology is the same once the SIM is activated. I have several devices with eSIM that work fine in China.

 

[MrJeffreyGee]

Apple's iOS 12.1 beta introduces support for the eSIM, aka a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan from your carrier without needing to use a physical SIM card. In the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, the eSIM pairs with the included nano-SIM to enable dual-SIM functionality.

The eSIM in the new iPhone XS and XS Max was not available at launch, with Apple promising to activate it in a later update, which appears to be iOS 12.1.

eSIM settings are available by going to the Cellular section of the Settings app and choosing "Add Cellular Plan," which is the method used to add another cellular provider via the eSIM.

All contacts in the Contacts app also now list a "default [P] Primary" setting in iOS 12.1 which lets you change the default phone number that you contact each person with if you have multiple phone numbers.

According to German site iPhone-Ticker.de, some Deutsche Telekom users are able to use the eSIM feature in iOS 12.1 to add two SIMs to their iPhones. Carriers need to implement the eSIM feature before it will work, and Apple offers a list of carriers that plan to offer the eSIM it in a support document.

In the United States, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon plan to offer eSIM support, but the carriers likely won't roll out the feature until iOS 12.1 launches to the public.

Dual-SIM support with the eSIM is useful for people who use two cellular plans at once, such as for home or work, and it is also beneficial when traveling.

As Apple outlines on its website, both numbers used with a dual-SIM iPhone can make and receive voice calls and SMS/MMS messages, but an iPhone can only use one cellular data network at a time. That means if one number is on a call, a call to the other number will go to voicemail.

Both networks are active at once, however, and with dual-SIM enabled, you will see two carrier signal readings in the Control Center.

eSIM support will be available to everyone with an iPhone XS, XS Max (and future XR) when the iOS 12.1 update launches to the public. We've only had one beta of iOS 12.1 so far, so there is still a ways to go.

The iOS 12.1 update also includes support for Group FaceTime for up to 32 people, a new real-time Depth Control slider that can be used when taking Portrait Mode photos, and, with watchOS 5.1, new color watch face options in the Apple Watch app.

Article Link: eSIM Functionality Available in iOS 12.1, But Carrier Support is Required

It would be sweet if you could get data only plans for your second e-sim card. Even better if they were day passes... Would be great for traveling abroad.

 

[SeattleMoose]

People really should just stop worrying about CDMA...it's going away. LTE stands for Long Term Evolution - it's where the GSM and CDMA technology roadmaps merged - the only reason that CDMA networks are still live is to allow people to continue to use old handsets...hopefully the last of these is wound down in 2019. Oh...and there's both GSM and CDMA code in LTE.

Verizon dropping CDMA support in 2019. That is why I just got a new phone to replace my 4S/3G phone. The phone itself works great but everything around it is making it obsolete...soon.

 

[FFR]

It would be sweet if you could get data only plans for your second e-sim card. Even better if they were day passes... Would be great for traveling abroad.

You can in the UK,don’t you have mobile broadband or iPad data plans in the US?


Anybody have an eta on iOS 12.1?
Can’t wait for esim support to be turned on.

 

[Manatlt]

You can in the UK,don’t you have mobile broadband or iPad data plans in the US?


Anybody have an era on iOS 12.1?
Can’t wait for esim support to be turned on.

There are eSIM settings available on iOS 12.1 beta, but EE has not enabled it yet meaning it's useless for now.

 

[FFR]

There are eSIM settings available on iOS 12.1 beta, but EE has not enabled it yet meaning it's useless for now.

You have to remember that ee has been offering esim support on the Apple Watch and iPad for a while now. Ee will likely switch it on as soon as 12.1 hits, question is when will 12.1 be released.

 

[alphaod]

You have to remember that we had been offering esim support on the Apple Watch and iPad for a while now. Ee will likely switch it on as soon as 12.1 hits, question is when will 12.1 be released.

I just hope Apple doesn't try to wait until the investigation if AT&T and Verizon for eSIM is colluding is completed.

Or when AirPower is released.

 

[FFR]

I just hope Apple doesn't try to wait until the investigation if AT&T and Verizon for eSIM is colluding is completed.

Or when AirPower is released.

No idea about the situation in the states, to be honest.
But if they were offering data subscriptions for the Apple Watch, it shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[Manatlt]

You have to remember that ee has been offering esim support on the Apple Watch and iPad for a while now. Ee will likely switch it on as soon as 12.1 hits, question is when will 12.1 be released.

I know EE had eSIM support for years as I have Apple Watch Cellular. But what I'm saying is that EE has not enabled support for XS and XS Max yet, so don't rush to download iOS 12.1 beta. Maybe they need to do some finishing touches.

 

[dbrose]

Looks even more like Vodafone UK will be going live with esim when 12.1 is released.


https://support.vodafone.co.uk/Gett...activate-and-set-up-a-device-with-an-eSIM.htm

 

[dbrose]

Vodafone UK has an announcement on their site that My Vodafone will be going down for maintenance on October 30th at 10pm until 31st at 7am.

Maybe updating for esim as this follows Apples event.....