Qualcomm, which specializes in manufacturing electronic chips, has announced that its upcoming smartphone processors will feature iSIM technology, which will replace SIM cards with eSIM technology.
An iSIM is similar to an eSIM in that it is a reprogrammable contact chip built into the phone's processor so that the user can download contact information programmatically from the phone, unlike the iSIM eSIM, which the user must replace manually. Compared to the eSIM, which measures 5 x 6 mm, the iSIM is much smaller at just 1 square mm.
According to Qualcomm, the new chip is more energy efficient than the eSIM, which extends the phone's battery life, and its smaller size helps phone makers use iSIM space to support phones with better features, such as cell phones. Without SIM cards that increase the volume of the speaker or provide an additional vibration motor as the phone increases in volume, it is also better in terms of water and dust resistance.
Last year, Qualcomm launched a modified version of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 to show off the capabilities of iSIM technology.
According to Qualcomm, about 300 million iSIM phones will be shipped by 2030, with various Snapdragon chip models in the future.
The company said it has licensed the technology from the Global Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), one of the organizations responsible for setting standards for cellular communications. It also announced new technology for its latest processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is expected to be launched in upcoming high-end phones later this year.
In addition to mobile phones, this technology is also said to be applied to other electronic devices such as laptops, smartwatches, and IoT devices.