SIM cards may soon disappear, thanks to virtual SIM by Samsung and Apple

SIM cards may soon disappear, thanks to virtual SIM by Samsung and Apple

   

Our very own SIM card may soon disappear as we speak. Companies like Apple and Samsung are in discussions with mobile carriers to help develop an ‘e-SIM’ via which consumers will have the ability to switch carriers without getting a new card. This implies that swapping SIMs to switch phones may soon be long gone as everything would be done via an interface on the device.

According to a report by 9to5mac, mobile providers which are currently in the talks are said to include AT&T, T-Mobile US parent company Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat, Hutchison Whampoa and Telefónica. The group working on this development hopes to have it rolled out some time in 2016.

In the past, Apple debuted their own SIM cards as well which allowed users to choose between different cell carriers and change services on-the-go. Now, the new report confirms that Apple is in talks with various mobile carriers to bring this kind of system to all devices.

The report points out that along with Apple, Samsung is also having similar discussions which means that this kind of tech might feature across iPhone and Android devices. Interestingly, a report by theFinancial Times stated that the embedded SIM may not actually replace the Apple SIM but could work alongside it.

In the past, BlackBerry had announced its plans tolaunch virtual SIM cards by the end of the year in India. It said, “it is in discussions with regulatory authorities and telecom operators in the country to launch its virtual SIM solution by year-end. Using the solution, consumers will be able to use as many as nine mobile numbers through a single SIM card.”