eSIM Support Feature Of The New iPhones Worried The Indian Government

The new iPhones introduced this year, with its new feature of carrying eSIM, can make it easier for users to switch carriers. This is causing great concern to the government as authorities believe it could bring about a threat to the security of India.

A SIM card is a little piece of plastic which is slotted into phones. It allows phone users to make calls, send messages or use the Internet. An eSIM, on the other hand, can still be a part of your phone’s circuit board even before it is finished with the manufacturing at the factory. According to Apple’s authorities, the hardware is present, and it’ll be activating in India through a specify software, which will be updated later this year.

It is said that when using this kind of eSIM card, it will no longer be necessary to have a service provider and procure a physical SIM like we often do today. When wanting to set up a new connection or switch into other carriers, all you need to do is simply make a call and the carrier that you choose can push an over-the-air activation update to your smartphone. Easy, right?

However, unfortunately, the fact is not that simple. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and the country’s government predict that this new technology may be used for other purposes, especially dangerous when some malevolent forces try to illegally collect customers’ personal data. Rajan Mathews, the director general of COAI, says that:

It is reasonable that the government is worried. Firstly, India is currently one of only 10 countries around the world that allow the use of eSIMs. India is also a country of many, many people so it is obvious that Apple is trying its best to increase the sale of its devices in this country. The other important thing is that other smart phone companies always follow almost any trend Apple that is started by Apple. For example, iPhone started to remove the headphone jack, and later replace a frontal fingerprint scanner with FaceID. Soon after that, almost all other smartphone manufacturers have imitated in various ways.

Therefore, it is just a matter of time before the start of other companies’ implementing e-SIMs on the left, right and centre side of their products. Mathews also added that: