WEBVTT 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:05.400 It seems like more and more physical media's getting overtaken by digital substitutes, 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:08.680 affecting everything from game downloads to event tickets, 00:00:08.680 --> 00:00:13.880 leaving some folks nostalgic for the days when you could enjoy the smell of a freshly unwrapped CD. 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:18.000 Pfft. Did that ever smell good? 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:22.600 And yet another piece of tech that could be going that way is the humble SIM card. 00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:26.440 You probably know what they are, but in case you don't, they're those little chips that go into your phone 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:31.120 to allow you to connect to a cellular network. Their function is to identify who you are 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:35.640 to your mobile provider so that they know you're not some outsider trying to randomly use 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:39.080 their network for free. You can learn more about SIM cards right up here, 00:00:39.080 --> 00:00:45.480 but once you're done, come on back because this episode is all about their virtual successor, 00:00:45.480 --> 00:00:48.920 the eSIM. A lot of phone manufacturers are interested 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:53.440 in moving to the eSIM, and in fact, a number of flagship devices already have them, 00:00:53.440 --> 00:00:57.760 including newer iPhones, Samsung Galaxy devices, and Google's Pixel lineup. 00:00:57.800 --> 00:01:02.200 But why are we bothering to change? The biggest reason is flexibility. 00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:06.320 With traditional SIM cards, getting a new phone plan meant that you need to physically go 00:01:06.320 --> 00:01:10.400 and pick up a card somewhere and then fiddle with that stupid little tray on your phone, 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.720 and God help you if you lose that pokey SIM removal tool. 00:01:13.720 --> 00:01:19.200 eSIMs instead can be delivered over the air by dialing a designated phone number from your provider, 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:24.680 scanning a QR code, or using an app, making things a lot easier for frequent travelers 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:28.340 who might need to get on a different network when they're traveling internationally. 00:01:28.340 --> 00:01:32.780 It also looks like more phones will feature both eSIM and traditional SIM support, 00:01:32.780 --> 00:01:37.340 and many eSIM devices will support storing more than one SIM code at a time. 00:01:37.340 --> 00:01:42.700 This means it'll be a lot easier to simply add a travel SIM to your plan when you're abroad. 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:48.420 Instead of having to deal with finicky roaming when you land, you can just buy an eSIM before your trip 00:01:48.420 --> 00:01:52.720 and ensure you're connected at all times. I mean, other than while you're in the air. 00:01:52.720 --> 00:01:58.380 You can also easily use your business and personal phone plans on the same device. 00:01:58.380 --> 00:02:03.020 Your boss will like that, or even have completely separate voice and data plans 00:02:03.020 --> 00:02:06.780 if you find a better deal or faster speeds with another provider. 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:10.140 That's pretty sweet. But eSIMs could end up having greater benefits 00:02:10.140 --> 00:02:13.180 than just making your phone a bit more convenient to use. 00:02:13.180 --> 00:02:18.420 Although physical SIM cards aren't all that big, the card slots in our devices are still bulky enough 00:02:18.420 --> 00:02:21.980 to take up valuable space, a big problem in small gadgets. 00:02:21.980 --> 00:02:25.020 eSIMs, which obviously don't require that extra slot, 00:02:25.020 --> 00:02:30.300 could increase the adoption of smaller devices like internet of things gadgets or smartwatches 00:02:30.300 --> 00:02:34.020 that don't have to rely on a phone to connect to a cell network. 00:02:34.020 --> 00:02:37.200 And importantly, eSIM technology has the blessing 00:02:37.200 --> 00:02:40.860 of the GSMA, meaning major cell carriers are backing it. 00:02:40.860 --> 00:02:46.140 So it really looks like it's gonna be a question of when it becomes widespread as opposed to if. 00:02:46.140 --> 00:02:51.380 However, don't be surprised if your next phone doesn't support it, especially if you're not buying 00:02:51.420 --> 00:02:54.940 a top-end device. Although the benefits of eSIM are coming, 00:02:54.940 --> 00:02:59.940 people trying to use it currently have remarked that in many cases you still have to go into a store 00:02:59.940 --> 00:03:04.740 to buy an eSIM QR code. And moving an eSIM subscription to a different device 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:08.100 can be, at least for the time being, more complicated 00:03:08.100 --> 00:03:12.220 than just swapping out a physical card. And speaking of physical cards, 00:03:12.220 --> 00:03:16.340 there is some concern that eSIM, because it can be pushed over the air, 00:03:16.340 --> 00:03:19.780 is more susceptible to social engineering type of tax 00:03:19.780 --> 00:03:23.420 than traditional SIMs are. Though there are some backstops already in place 00:03:23.420 --> 00:03:28.500 to help us keep that from happening. And there's a chance that eSIM could improve security 00:03:28.500 --> 00:03:34.780 by making it easier to track a stolen phone and harder to sell one since you can't just yank out a card. 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:39.840 And of course, it takes time and money for the cell carriers to transition the current systems 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:44.500 over to eSIM to make it easier to use. But hopefully it'll happen before too long 00:03:44.500 --> 00:03:49.260 as I'm pretty bad at losing small removable objects between my couch cushions. 00:03:49.260 --> 00:03:53.220 I have so many cushions. Cracks, there's so many cracks, cracks for days. 00:03:53.220 --> 00:03:57.500 So thanks for watching guys. If you liked this video, give it a thumbs up, give us a subscribe, and be sure to hit us up 00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:01.860 in the comments section with your suggestions for themes that we should cover in the future.