What you need to know
- Android's eSIM transfer feature is extending beyond Pixel devices, as a user setting up a Galaxy S24 Ultra encountered the option using Samsung's SIM transfer tool.
- T-Mobile is currently the only confirmed carrier supporting eSIM transfer functionality in the US, but wider adoption by other carriers may be on the horizon.
- Google introduced this tool at last year's Mobile World Congress, allowing users to seamlessly transfer mobile plans without physical SIMs.
It looks like Android's eSIM transfer tool, which was first announced by Google at MWC 2023, has snuck onto our phones under the radar.
Mishaal Rahman from Android Police reports that a reader setting up a Galaxy S24 Ultra found an option to transfer their eSIM from an LG V60 ThinQ by scanning a QR code. The outlet also got the same pop-up to appear on the Pixel 8 Pro.
When Google unveiled the eSIM transfer tool a year ago, the tech giant mentioned that partner carriers were getting on board. While the company kept us in the dark about details and a launch date, savvy users setting up Pixel 8 devices stumbled upon its real-life action as early as October last year.
It looks like the tool is now spreading its wings and becoming more available. Samsung kicked off its own eSIM transfer feature in One UI 5.1, but the tool was initially available only to Galaxy devices. Long story short, that notification wasn't supposed to show up on non-Galaxy phones.
The latest news hints that the eSIM transfer feature for Android is gearing up to work with more brands and models down the road.
According to Rahman, the wider usability of Samsung's tool could be a sign of a move toward Google's eSIM transfer tool for Android. The catch? Well, the feature seems to be exclusive to users with eSIM profiles linked to T-Mobile for the time being.
While the increasing interest hints at the possibility of more carriers jumping on the bandwagon, it's still too early to confirm for sure.
That said, if you're dreaming of swapping devices without the hassle of a physical SIM, you're in luck. Although we're not ditching SIM cards for eSIMs entirely right away, the shift is definitely creeping closer.
