Qualcomm, Vodafone, & Thales Introduces First iSIM Technology

The SIM card has progressed and after the eSIM, now the iSIM is changing the trends in the smartphones’ industry. Qualcomm, Vodafone and Thales jointly have demonstrated a smartphone with an integrated SIM (iSIM) successfully that is directly embedded in the mobile processor. Which eliminates the need for a dedicated slot.

The iSIM technology was demonstrated on a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, equipped with a Snapdragon 888 chip in Europe in Samsung’s R&D labs where it made use of Vodafone’s network. This new technology will not only kill the need for dedicated SIM card slots but also eSIMs. The greatest integration of SIM and processor integration bring better system integration, higher performance, and increased memory capacity.

What is iSIM Technology?

iSIM is implemented directly into the main processor of the phone which leads to better performance, and increased memory capacity, so freeing up more space inside the phone for other uses. Or we can say that,  iSIM is a software-based SIM that takes all the benefits of a standards-compliant eSIM and embeds them into the device’s permanent hardware array by combining the SIM with the system-on-a-chip (SoC) architecture and cellular modem. It allows the industry of mobile phones to further integrate SIM’s functionalities into a phone without the need for the traditional physical SIM card.

The iSIM delivers benefits for both consumers and telecom operators. It paves the way for mobile services to be integrated into devices other than mobile phones. Which means that iSIM will make it easy for laptops, tablets, VR platforms, IoT devices, wearables, and others to make use of LTE or 5G services.

According to Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and president of Qualcomm Europe: “iSIM solutions offer great opportunities to MNOs, free-up valuable space in devices for OEMs, and provide flexibility for device users to benefit from the full potential of 5G networks and experiences across a wide range of device categories. Some of the areas that will benefit most from iSIM technology include smartphones, mobile PCs, VR/XR headsets, and industrial IoT. By engineering the iSIM technology into the SoC, we are able to create additional support for OEMs in our Snapdragon platform.”

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