Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google appears to have quietly launched its eSIM transfer tool which was announced at MWC 2023.
- Users are discovering that they can now swap their eSIM from one Android phone to any other Android phone.
- It appears the functionality is limited to T-Mobile eSIM profiles.
Every day, we move that much closer to the day when eSIMs completely replace physical SIM cards. In preparation for that future, Google appears to have quietly launched its eSIM transfer tool for Android.
According to Android Police, one of its readers who was setting up a Galaxy S24 Ultra noticed they were given the option to transfer their eSIM from their LG V60 ThinQ by scanning a QR code. The outlet was also able to get the pop-up to appear on the Pixel 8 Pro from the Galaxy S24 Ultra and vice versa.
For context, when Samsung’s SIM transfer tool was released with One UI 5.1, transferring eSIMs from one device to another only worked on Galaxy devices. In short, this notification should have never popped up on non-Galaxy handsets.
However, first spotted by FragmentedChicken on Reddit, it appears after the One UI 6.1 update, there’s been a subtle but significant change to the feature’s language. It now reportedly says it’s compatible with non-Galaxy devices.
The outlet says that the broader usability of Samsung’s tool may signify an eventual shift toward Google’s eSIM transfer tool for Android, which was announced at MWC 2023. Although no launch date was announced, Google’s tool may have been active in the Pixel 8. When the feature was discovered, however, it was believed the Pixel 8’s eSIM tool only worked with other Pixels.
Unfortunately, it seems the tool is being restricted to certain users. The outlet says that the feature appears to work only with eSIM profiles connected to T-Mobile at the moment.
A tool that can easily transfer your eSIM to any Android device would be very convenient. Hopefully, the tool will be expanded to devices with other carriers soon.
