Apple continues to push forward, and eSIM applications will usher in a big explosion
In March of this year, the iWatch Series 3 with eSIM functionality added LTE data connectivity for the first time, allowing it to operate independently and make phone calls directly without connecting to an iPhone. The hot topic of Apple's press conference in the past two days, which attracted attention, is that Apple has supported eSIM in its new phones. Apple has not only once again sparked industry discussions about eSIM, but also helped eSIM enter the view of the consumer public, presenting a trend of wildfire.
Nowadays, various popular Q&A platforms and knowledge communities such as Diankai Zhihu and Wukong Q&A are all discussing the impact that eSIM will bring. Optimistically speaking, the promotion of eSIM is unstoppable and on the rise. Apple's measures will also have significant implications for guiding the market and promoting the upgrading of the entire terminal industry chain in the future.
As mentioned by the forum author, the dual SIM and dual standby functions of mainstream Chinese Android phone brands have already become standard equipment, and international internet access functions have been launched one after another, launching the battle to occupy the backup card slot. This function is mainly achieved through eSIM technology to achieve air access, providing users with overseas mobile data services. Users can choose the country or region they want to go to through these mobile phone brands' built-in apps, purchase the suitable data package package, and activate the service locally without plugging or replacing the physical SIM card. The server will distribute the corresponding local operator resources to the user's mobile terminal in the air for network connection, which is simple, convenient, cheap, and easy to use.
After Huawei Tianjitong, various mobile phone brands have launched products such as OPPO "International Internet", vivo "iRoaming", Xiaomi "Xiaomi Roaming", OnePlus "Global Internet", and their cooperating service providers are all Black Tea Mobile. In addition, similar services launched by mobile phone brands such as Samsung (China), Meizu, Hammer, Lenovo, Nubia, Nokia, Candy, Hisense, etc., have also seen the presence of Black Tea Mobile as a service provider. Having a closer understanding of this company, it turns out that this technology company has been providing eSIM international roaming services to multiple domestic Android phone brands since 2015.
Black Tea Mobile has now provided overseas network services to more than ten mainstream Android phone brands, covering 200 million terminal devices.
The key to implementing eSIM is the ability to remotely configure SIM card files for devices over the air. Simply put, it embeds traditional SIM cards directly into device chips, and then achieves the functions of traditional SIM cards through dynamic replacement and writing of carrier data. For users, there is no need to pop up the SIM card holder to replace the SIM card, and they can freely switch between different operator networks, just like changing channels with a TV remote control. Today, I will take Black Tea Mobile as a case study to take stock of the new features based on eSIM black technology on mobile phones.
1. Exclusive traffic package
Also known as targeted traffic package, its feature is that it does not rely on the operator's network. It can open exclusive traffic packages for specific programs and create different types of exclusive traffic packages to meet the needs of different groups of people, such as: exclusive traffic packages for commonly used apps for outbound travel, exclusive traffic packages for games, exclusive traffic packages for live streaming, and other exclusive packages.
2. "No online purchase" service
Users can purchase the built-in roaming service of Black Tea Mobile on their mobile phones without internet connection after landing overseas, connect to the servers in that region (as shown in the figure below), and then purchase the data plan for their destination country or region, and activate it.
3. Card free and internet free mobile phone retrieval function
Even if the user's SIM card is unplugged, unable to connect to the mobile cellular data, and not in a Wi Fi environment, as long as the phone is turned on [Find Phone], automatic detection of abnormal phone operation behavior will trigger the search for global network resources to forcibly connect to the internet, ensuring that the user's phone is not lost, regardless of the world.
There are many ways to play eSIM, but the promotion and popularization of eSIM rely on the support of operators. Several mainstream operators around the world have joined Apple's eSIM platform this time.
In addition, on June 7, 2018, Thai operator TrueMoveH launched an eSIM card connected smartwatch; On June 10th, Japanese operator KDDI announced a partnership with Toyota to launch eSIM card connected cars; On June 13th, Hungarian operator Magyar Telekom launched eSIM cards, and Huawei smartwatches became a pioneer in devices compatible with this eSIM card
Looking at the domestic market again, on March 7, 2018, China Unicom took the lead in launching the "eSIM One Dual Terminal" service in six cities: Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, and Changsha. On April 6th, China Unicom gathered forces from various industries such as OTT, OEM manufacturers, chip module manufacturers, SIM cards, and eSIM technology service providers to establish the "eSIM Industry Cooperation Alliance" (Black Tea Mobile was fortunate to become one of the first members of the alliance), creating an eSIM fully intelligent system. In addition, on May 25th, China Mobile IoT, a subsidiary of China Mobile, officially launched the Intelligent IoT China Mobile Inside plan and also released the pioneering eSIM chip in China, providing "chip+eSIM+connection services"; On June 1st, China Mobile officially launched the "eSIM One Dual Terminal" service in seven cities: Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.
ESIM applications are constantly expanding, and don't forget that eSIM is also targeting a larger connectivity market - the Internet of Things. Due to limitations such as space and environment, traditional SIM cards that require frequent replacement cannot adapt to large-scale deployment of the Internet of Things.
ESIM cards are not meant to revolutionize the lives of operators, but to bring new growth points to them. The Internet of Things is the massive market for eSIM and also the future market for operators. From the connection between people and families to the connection of all things, expanding from the consumer field to the vertical field, this is a significant leap that operators are currently making. To put it bluntly, the connection between people and families has come to an end, the demographic dividend is gone, the market is saturated, and the Internet of Things is the next explosive growth point for operators.
It is understood that operators, chip and module manufacturers, card manufacturers, device manufacturers, as well as solution providers represented by Black Tea Mobile, have begun to layout and make efforts in the field of the Internet of Things. With the continuous maturity of eSIM standards and technology, as well as the open support of more operators, if Apple successfully enters the market through smartphones that support eSIM, its size and influence will drive the large-scale application of eSIM technology. eSIM not only has significant significance in the field of consumer electronics, but also promotes the rapid development of the Internet of Things, with great imagination space.