Comparing SIM vs. eSIM vs. iSIM

The physical SIM card has been part of cellular connectivity for decades. It plays a leading role in many consumer mobile devices and IoT deployments. However, the SIM market is evolving rapidly, and newer options eliminate the need for a removable SIM.

The embedded SIM (eSIM) is soldered to a device’s printed circuit board (PCB). It provides a way to send SIM profiles to devices over the air using remote SIM provisioning.

The newest iteration in the SIM market is the integrated SIM (iSIM). It streamlines the eSIM’s functionality by porting it into a system-on-a-chip (SOC) architecture. This capability means the SIM does not require dedicated hardware.