I agree the eSIM standard needs to be updated to allow transfers between devices more easily. I know there is some seamless way to do it because Apple already does it. I have a physical SIM and eSIM in my phone and every time I upgrade my iPhone Apple transfers that eSIM to the new phone with no issues.
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iPhone 14 With eSIM Only Will Likely Be Optional Model, Says Analyst
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Yep, I really need the ability to have three lines on my phone like I presently am able to do with one physical SIM and two eSIM profiles. I have two phone lines active on my phone at all times. My primary line is the physical SIM and I have a secondary line on eSIM. When I travel overseas I disable the US eSIM and then activate an eSIM for local service wherever I am. With an eSIM only phone I’d have to completely remove one of the eSIMs when I travel overseas and then go through the hassle of re-adding it when I get back to the US.
now, sorry to be a sticker, but that's not really having 3 lines on your phone if you're removing one for the other? I mean you can't have 3 at the same time, right? or did I miss the memo?
I guess I didn't realize a company can wipe every device a sim has ever been in even if it isn't active.
How does device flexibility benefit the company?
No, you can’t have three lines active at the same time, but you can have three lines on your phone at the same time. The active SIM and active eSIM, as well as an inactive eSIM. However, if you had to have both active lines on eSIM and then needed to use a third line you’d have to completely remove one of the eSIMs to add this third line. The way it is now, you can have an active line on the physical SIM and an active line on eSIM. If I needed to use a third line, I could deactivate, but not remove, one eSIM, and then add a second eSIM. Once I’m done with the third line I can deactivate or remove it and then reactivate the second line by just checking a box.now, sorry to be a sticker, but that's not really having 3 lines on your phone if you're removing one for the other? I mean you can't have 3 at the same time, right? or did I miss the memo?
Why would Apple waste space on an iPhone with a SIM tray if they have a modern with eSIM only? This is not how Apple works. Also if your Apple Watch can work just fine with eSIM why wouldn't Apple just go all in with eSIM only iPhone14.
What I want to know is how hard would it be too add an eSIM to all the M1 Macs, especially the MacBooks?
What I want to know is how hard would it be too add an eSIM to all the M1 Macs, especially the MacBooks?
No it's not. Simply check Apple's own listing and it's been stagnant for a while. Apple introduced eSIM when, more than 3 years ago? Yet in even developed countries like Singapore, their top 2 out of 3 carriers are not even supporting eSIM.
In my country, only 1 carrier (4th in marketshare) out of 4 supports eSIM, and only that 1 carrier supports VoLTE on iPhone. Apple has a long way to go to convince majority of carriers around the world.
Ah, I see! that's brilliant. So the process of switching between eSims is painless! Good to note!
If your old phone isn’t working you’d have bigger issues to tackle - like how to safely dispose of it without the ability to erase all the data - which would necessitate a visit to a store anyhow…
I like the premise of eSIM, but the inconsistent implementation across domestic/international/prepaid carriers makes me hesitate to switch over my main #. I'm fine physically swapping the sim around myself, as I'm not ready to leave it up Apple or the carriers to manage the migration of it for me.
I think you are conflating two points here. The SIM only allows the phone to connect o the mobile network. It has nothing at all to do with content on a phone. The SIM does not facilitate the wipe. The MDM does. In order for my phone to access certain company assets (vpn, sharepoint, etc) I have to register the device with the mobile device management (MDM) server. That registers my device identifiers with the organization and installs any necessary profiles.
If I wan to register my iPad (not part of the company phone plan) I can do so. Same MDM and same profiles.
Wiping company assets is as simple as the MDM server sending the wipe commas to my phone / iPad. In our case it only removes company tagged acts (profiles, local data cache, etc). But it could be configured to wipe the entire device. The only way SIM plays any part at all in the wide is for a data connection. And if there is not mobile data then the wipe signal is carried via WiFi when the device next connects.
Disabling the SIM can be done by any authorized user at the company. Suspend SIM and all mobile data / phone access is suspended. You can do it for your own SIM on your personal plan the same way.
As for device flexibility, I don't see your point. Does it matter if I am using an iPhone 6S or an iPhone 13? Does it matter if I have the latest Android handset from Samsung or the crappy bargain bin Samsung that the company would provide? The company can and does set standard (OS level support, valid manufacturer, etc.). That is enforced by the MDM and profiles.
Bring your Own mobile device policies are very common. My company, for example, will provide a phone IF you have your number attached to the company account and you do not want to buy your own phone. But if you do want a better phone than is provided then you are free to register any device that meets the guidelines and policies. And if you don't want to attach your phone number to the company plan that is fine - you can still register your device with MDM and access company data assets, but you are on the hook for paying your own mobile phone bill.
So the employee pulls their sim out of their device and uses it in a different device. They text and call people. They employer doesn’t want the employee to retain this information after termination so they remote wipe the device. But all the work done on the second device remains. Correct?
So that’s bad for the employer, and would be avoided by an eSIM.
As for being your own device policies I assume they exist because it’s hard to prevent someone from sim swapping. As soon as you can you regain that control. That’s what this is about, control. It’s only an employee benefit so long as it doesn’t cost the company anything and can’t be prevented.
As remote work persists companies are going to want more control over distributed company resources. The eSIM feature is control. It’s only bad for the employees who want to have a say in how they work.
Not at all. Removing the SIM does absolutely nothing to any data on the phone. Try it on your phone now. Pull your SIM out. All your text message conversations are still there. All your voicemails are still there.
MDM wipes the phone. SIM control mobile network access. Nothing is actually stored on the SIM.
Also when you remove your device registration from MDM the company-controlled information is wiped automatically. I've done it several times over the years. Outlook is removed, VPN policies, online data / OneDrive, etc. All gone.
As for completely wiping a device it depends on the MDM provider and policies. Apple MDM can remote wipe an entire device. MS Intone cannot (at least as far as our provisioning goes). Remote wipe from Intone only blanks company data, policies, and applications.
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If you remove your sim and stick it in a new device SMS and phone logs will begin storing on the new device not the old device you removed the sim from. Correct?
Yes. And?
If you pull the SIM from the old phone but still have it registered in MDM it will still have access to company data assets.
The new phone will have service but no access to company assets until you register it with MDM.
And with iCloud sync for Messages any texts will sync across all your devices.
The number is an asset. So is any communication done with it.
So the employee would have access to messages and phone logs even though you sent a remote wipe to their device.
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The number is an asset? OK. And the number follows the SIM. What does that have to do with your original premise that eSIM is more secure the a physical SIM since the eSIM somehow magically allows the company to have more control of the data on your device.
Both eSIM and pSIM (physical) can be disabled with a click by the account owner. Neither secure the company assets (wipe the phone).
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One more try. I give you a phone and you immediately pop the sim out and put it in a different device. You use the device to make calls and text customers and contacts. Then you pop the sim back in the original phone right before I fire you. When I go to wipe the device it clears the phone I gave, not the phone you were using. With a physical SIM I can't destroy my content you moved to a different device. With an eSIM you never had the chance to do that and I know the device is cleared when I wipe it. If the employee has any control over the device, that's not as good as having none.
OK. One more try, too. Then we can agree to disagree.
What exactly do you think I am doing with the phones that a SIM would matter? I call a contact? That contact is likely already in my address book (not only in the company Outlook, but MY address book). If I wanted to get access to company assets I would have had to register the new device in MDM. I swap SIMs back and forth between multiple phones that all have been registered with MDM then you fire me - all the phone would be wipes as they are all revered in MDM to me.
Most MDM profiles that I have seen are restricted to removing the profiles and related data and applications. They do not wipe the entire phone. Even it they did I would still have record of the contacts from my notes or offline (personal) contact book. If I am using an iPhone and iCloud Messages then the text messages are already synced to devices that are not registered. Most companies, I would venture, are using MDM to secure their data assets and not the phones themselves. Meaning that I were to lose my phone and did not think to use iCloud remote wipe myself the company would trigger the “wipe” from their side and remove the company assets. They really would not care about my personal data on the phone at all.
The eSIM only makes it harder for a move from phone to phone without company foreknowledge. It does not really provide any extract level of data security.
Why would you get to use any backup service besides the one the company set? That's not your property. If you want to make manual backups writing down everything in your phone to a journal, sure, but it shouldn't be easy to retain that info.
But you get it at the end. It makes it harder to move from phone to phone without company foreknowledge. You shouldn't be doing that. Companies have many reasons why they want employees using the issued device, from manufacture contracts to they want to send the message where you rank in importance.
I am not saying companies should operate with strict control over what they do, but for a company that wants to work that way (and I have worked for companies that work that way) eSIM is better for the exact reason you gave.