How GSMA's eSIM heralds SIM-Less Smartwatches from Samsung, LG, Microsoft and Huawei

“We don’t want the consumer to be disadvantaged compared to the current SIM model. We're putting the first specification out for companies that may want to launch products that are very simple”

GSMA's chief engineer Ian Pannell commenting on their eSIM specification for smartwatches, fitness trackers and tablets

The GSMA (Global System Mobile Association) the trade body for GSM Telecom Providers, is finally coming around as it relates to the eSIM (electronic SIM) Standard.

They've now announced official support for the eSIM for smartwatches, fitness trackers and tablets on Friday February 19th 2016 as noted in the article “GSMA Releases eSIM Specification To Support Wearable Devices” published 19 February 2016 by Pradeep, WM Power User.

 

Most Telecom Providers are backing the eSIM standards put forward that was originally supported by Apple and Samsung as noted in my blog article entitled “GSMA's e-SIM Card - Why e-SIM marks World Phone Genesis and Death of unlocked-smartphones”. 

Still not sure if I should call it e-SIM or eSIM, but the new standard is welcome by OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers), specifically:

1.      Samsung

2.      LG

3.      Microsoft

4.      Huawei

Apple already has a technology called the Apple SIM that's being used in their Apple iPad Air 2 and the Apple iPad Mini 3 since January 2015 as reported in my blog article entitled “Apple SIM in the Apple iPad Air 2 - How iOS 8.0 Carrier Unlocked SIM sells Apple iPads in Year of the Sheep 2015”.

They might keep their tech or join with the GSMA, depending on what advantages the GSMA standards offer to their sales of Tablets and other non-Apple iPhone products. Telecom Providers also support the eSIM specification form the GSMA:

1.      AT&T

2.      Deutsche Telekom

3.      EE

4.      Telefónica

5.      Verizon

6.      Vodafone

It'll make smartphone easier to manufacture, allowing them to make only one type of smartphone instead of multiple versions of the same popular model for different regions.

For Telecom Provider this means more simultaneous launches of popular brand smartphones, with the customer being able to switch Providers, a benefit in a world of unlocked smartphones as noted in my blog article entitled “’US Carriers must Carrier Unlock smartphones as of Wednesday February 11th 2015 – How Americans can get their smartphones Carrier unlocked”. 

This will lead to greater design innovation in the smartphone and IoT Industry.

Samsung support e-SIM in Gear S2 - Embedded eSIM to power the IoT

It also means more space inside of the smartphone so that they can cram more stuff into the body of these increasingly thinner devices. This may mean would phones i.e. Smartphone that support both GSM and CDMA will become more commonplace, as the functionality of the SIM will be replace by a dedicated Chip.

It would also benefit Telecom Operators as although the customer would be inconvenienced in terms of not having a SIM to remove, it also means that it would be a lot easier for them to switch via using a software interface within the smartphone. A bit inconvenient to the smartphone unlockers, who like to unlock and switch the physical SIM card themselves.

But the lack of convenience is minor when you consider not having to fiddle with the SIM card which can be easily lost. More interestingly is that the eSIM can now be embedded in a wider range of devices than just smartphones.

Tablets and even smartwatches can now support the eSIM, making the IoT a reality. Already the Samsung Gear S2 Classic 3G supports the eSIM standard, which is 90% smaller, making the smartwatches a lot less bulky as reported in the article “Samsung’s Gear S2 has the first certified eSIM that lets you choose carriers”, published February 18, 2016 By James Vincent, The Verge.

Samsung, being the innovator, is also the first to market with an eSIM product The Samsung Gear Classic 3G slated to launch in March 2016 as noted in the article “Samsung's next smartwatch comes with an e-SIM” published February 19 2016 by Daniel Cooper, Engadget.

Undoubtedly they'll introduce the eSIM in more of their products as this new eSIM gives the customer more control over which Network they choose for their devices.

Smartwatches beating Swiss watchmakers - Digicel and FLOW Jamaica soon to support eSIM

This is not a bad choice for a first device to use the eSIM.

Already according to analyst Strategy Analytics, Smartwatch sales are outpacing the sales of Swiss watchmakers as noted in the article “Smartwatches now more popular than Swiss watches”, published February 18, 2016 by Steven Musil, CNET News.

It'll be interesting to see when our local Telecom Providers Digicel and FLOW Jamaica announce their support for the eSIM. Albeit they're members of the GSMA, the Jamaican and Caribbean Market has Smartphone that use the micro and Nano SIM cards respectively as noted in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to make your own Micro-SIM or Nano-SIM Card”. 

Digicel have showed signs of pushing into vehicle tracking and parcel tracking as noted in my blog article entitled “How Digicel Asset Tracking heralds Jamaica Post Drone Package Delivery in 2016”.

FLOW Jamaica, who are pretty close to Samsung, will probably support eSIM, being as they're already selling the Samsung Gear S2 as noted in my Geezam blog article entitled “Samsung Galaxy Gear S2 has Tizen OS powered Samsung Pay Winning Potential” albeit not the Gear S2 Classic 3G.

The eSIM would be a benefit local Telecom Providers more directly, as it also potentially opens up the possibility of Digicel using cellular triangulation tech. They can also support more IoT devices in Jamaica aside from just Internet controlled bulbs, lamps and doors as explained in my Geezam blog article “How Samsung’s SmartThings Platform makes CES 2016 SUHD TV’s IoT Ready”.  

So I await our local Telecom Providers getting hip to this latest announcement.