The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are set to get eSIM connectivity in various countries and across a range of mobile network operators, including in India. Reliance Jio and Airtel will soon be offering eSIM configuration for the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in India, thereby enabling full connectivity with a mobile network without the need for a dedicated physical SIM card.
The key advantage of eSIM connectivity is the enabling of multi-SIM access on the Google Pixel 3 range. Currently, the phones only have a single physical SIM slot, and a second connection can only be configured on the phone’s embedded SIM (eSIM), which can be set up by a supported operator. Google has announced in a blog post that various operators around the world, including Jio and Airtel in India, will roll out support for eSIM in the coming months.
For now, eSIM connectivity is only supported in the United States on the Google Fi network, for devices purchased from the Google Store. Google will be rolling out support in Germany soon, which will eventually make its way to other operators in the United States, UK, India and other countries. Google is also reportedly working to allow other Android device manufacturers to enable eSIM on their devices.
WATCH: Google Pixel 3 XL Hands On
While eSIM has the advantage of multiple connections, a major drawback is the lack of flexibility in swapping connections on phones easily. Since an eSIM connection needs to be enabled by the operator on the specific device, you’ll likely have to visit your operator’s store every time you want to switch phones, instead of simply swapping out the SIM card. The new Apple iPhone range – iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR – also come with eSIM, which will be enabled on Airtel and Reliance Jio soon. The two leading operators have also enabled eSIM connectivity for the Apple Watch series in India.
