iPhone 12 Pro Max E-SIM for Future Proofing or Go With Physical SIM Card

[Sossity]

I have gotten a new iPhone, and will be getting some cell service plan for it. It looks like this model takes esim as well as a physical sim. Should I go with a physical sim or esim?

What ever I choose, I will be getting new phone number, and I do not want to have to change it too soon for nay reason once I start the service. I have many accounts linked with my old one, and it will be a job to go through and update all my details on my accounts with the new number.

With that said, I thought if I got an esim, it seems it can be transferred between phones, but I thought it might be difficult, if my phone dies for what ever reason, where I cannot power it up, what happens to the esim? This made me think a physical sim would work better because I can just take it out of the sim tray of the dead phone and put into a another physical enable sim phone.

On the other hand, it looks like from here on out, Apple at least will be going esim only on their iPhones, and possibly other phone makers too, and if I get an esim service now, I will be able to transfer it to any new phones I get in the future, and I would be able to keep my phone number and not have to keep updating my accounts with new phone numbers each time I upgrade or replace my phone in the future. So in this case it would seem going esim now might be more future proof?

 

[ian87w]

First question is, does your current carrier support eSIM for your plan?
If it does, do your research first on how it activates and transfer eSIM. Does it use its own app? Does it cost extra to activate an eSIM? You can maybe ask around first to see others' experience, or call the carrier and ask questions first before jumping in.

As for your current number, depending on where you're at, does your country support number portability? If yes, simply use the same number instead of getting a new one.

 

[Sossity]

First question is, does your current carrier support eSIM for your plan?
If it does, do your research first on how it activates and transfer eSIM. Does it use its own app? Does it cost extra to activate an eSIM? You can maybe ask around first to see others' experience, or call the carrier and ask questions first before jumping in.

As for your current number, depending on where you're at, does your country support number portability? If yes, simply use the same number instead of getting a new one.

Yes, my carrier does, and it is through an app, I have looked into how in activates, and I have been doing some chats with my carrier.

I as just asking here for others experience with esim, and if it is a good idea.

 

[TECK]

I had the same dilemma and decided to stick with one SIM card for personal line and one eSIM for work line. Both lines are with same carrier. At least if something goes bad, I'm 100% sure I can still use my SIM card on a different iPhone, if the one I have in hand breaks.

I have not had the opportunity to change iPhones (still on iPhone 12 Pro) for years, my phone is working great. If I perform a Reset All Settings (I do that for every major iOS release), the eSIM is not affected. I'm curious for anyone who changed iPhones, if the eSIM is carried to new phone, with a backup restore.

 

[jav6454]

Are you going to be traveling outside of the US constantly? If so, get one with a SIM tray. If not, and your carrier (or local carriers) support eSIM, then stick to the eSIM only version.

 

[ian87w]

If it were me, I would keep my main number on physical SIM so that when the phone broke, I can readily switch the SIM to a backup phone. I would use the eSIM for a backup number, or a foreign number when traveling.

By the time Apple releases all iphones worldwide to be eSIM only, there is probably a solution for easily transferring eSIM between phones. Few carriers already make it easy by simply logging into their app and activating the eSIM that way in the new phone. Hopefully that will be commonplace by then.

 

[JamesMcFlyJR]

If it were me, I would keep my main number on physical SIM so that when the phone broke, I can readily switch the SIM to a backup phone. I would use the eSIM for a backup number, or a foreign number when traveling.

By the time Apple releases all iphones worldwide to be eSIM only, there is probably a solution for easily transferring eSIM between phones. Few carriers already make it easy by simply logging into their app and activating the eSIM that way in the new phone. Hopefully that will be commonplace by then.

esim transfers between iPhones is already pretty simple and no carrier intervention needed (Although there might be exceptions). iPhone to iPhone esim transfer is as simple as clicking like four buttons in settings. However transferring esim between iphones and androids is a much different experience of course (what you mentioned, where you can set it up in the app)

 

[chabig]

...so that when the phone broke...

😱

 

[ian87w]

esim transfers between iPhones is already pretty simple and no carrier intervention needed (Although there might be exceptions). iPhone to iPhone esim transfer is as simple as clicking like four buttons in settings. However transferring esim between iphones and androids is a much different experience of course (what you mentioned, where you can set it up in the app)

The built in iphone to iphone transfer still requires confirmation on the old iphone, which is sometimes impossible if the old iphone is damaged. Imo the app method is probably the better route and can be platform agnostic, but that depends on the carrier.

 

[Jackbequickly]

In the end, eSIM will be the standard in most developed countries. They day of inserting your SIM card in multiple phones are getting reading to be over. Our governments are wanting us all to go to eSIM. Sooner or later we will have to be registered with the FCC to just get on the internet. Looking more like china everyday.