New Apple, Samsung SIM-free phones could transform global roaming

Imagine landing in any foreign country, switching your phone on, selecting a temporary plan from a local mobile carrier and getting on with your business.

There'd be no time spent hunting down and queuing to buy a local SIM card, nor any excessive global roaming charges from your provider back home.

That appears to be the ultimate goal of mobile phone manufacturers Apple and Samsung, both of which are working closely with the GSM Association to develop a virtual ‘electronic SIM card’ that allows mobile phones to connect to cellular networks without that traditional piece of plastic.

Globetrotters could easily switch between plans and providers as needed – perhaps to take advantage of a better data deal or the superior coverage of another network.

The 'e-SIM' is seen as the next evolution of the Apple SIM, which debuted the concept of choosing plans and mobile carriers on the fly earlier this year.

Closer to home, mobile phone users could also link two or more plans to the one device: cherry-picking the best features of each – such as free calls between certain hours and networks – without physically changing the SIM card every time.

The Financial Times (UK) reports that the GSM Association will finalise and announce the new e-SIM standard soon, with compatible mobile phones from Apple and Samsung hitting the shelves in 2016.

Also read: How to get global data roaming with your Apple SIM iPad

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.