Google Enables eSIM Transfer Feature While Setting Up Android Smartphones: Report

Google's setup process for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra prompts users to seamlessly transfer their SIM from their older smartphone.

Written by David Delima, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 30 January 2024 15:50 IST

Google Enables eSIM Transfer Feature While Setting Up Android Smartphones: Report

Samsung Galaxy S24 series allows you to import your eSIM from your older phone

Highlights

You can now transfer your eSIM from your older Android smartphone
The feature needs to be supported by your network service provider
Google's eSIM transfer tool currently works with T-Mobile

Google has enabled support for transferring eSIMs — an embedded, digital SIM that can be used to activate a mobile plan — across Android smartphones, according to a report. The feature first appeared when some users were able to transfer their eSIM from an older Pixel phone to the Pixel 8 last year, and now users can reportedly transfer their digital SIM from their existing smartphone to a Samsung Galaxy S24 series phone, which shows the feature is expanding beyond Pixel phones.

Android Police reports that the setup process for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra includes a message asking you if you want to transfer your SIM from another device. You are prompted to unlock your existing device and place it next to the new phone, after which a popup appears on the older phone's screen to begin the transfer.

Just like setting up a new eSIM, you need to scan a QR code to move your existing one from the older phone to the newer Android handset. The feature to transfer your SIM card should eliminate the need to visit a nearby outlet, offering the same convenience of popping out a physical SIM card and placing it in a new phone.

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Last year, Google announced at MWC 2023 that it would introduce the ability to transfer eSIMs across devices, while allowing users to convert their existing physical SIM to an eSIM. While the feature was previously spotted last year when Pixel 8 owners were upgrading from an older Pixel phone, its appearance on the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a sign that Google is expanding the feature to other OEMs.

However, the feature to transfer your existing eSIM to another phone isn't widely available at the moment. The Android Police report states that the feature currently works with T-Mobile eSIM profiles. If you live in other regions, including India, you will have to wait until your telecom operator supports Google's transfer feature to move your existing eSIM to another Android smartphone.

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Bright display with fewer reflections
Great battery life
Useful AI features
Excellent performance
Top-quality cameras
Longer software support

Bad
Expensive
Relatively slower charging speeds

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review

Display 6.80-inch

Processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 200-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 10-megapixel

RAM 12GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

Battery Capacity 5000mAh

OS Android 14

More Samsung mobiles Samsung mobiles price in India

Google Pixel 8

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Smaller form factor makes it more comfortable to hold
Excellent and bright display
Cameras are still the best
Packed with AI features

Bad
Battery life is still not the best
Expensive
Tends to heat up under heavy load

Read detailed Google Pixel 8 review

Display 6.20-inch

Processor Google Tensor G3

Front Camera 11-megapixel

Rear Camera 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 4575mAh

OS Android 14

Resolution 1080x2400 pixels

More Google mobiles Google mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Google, eSIM transfer, Android eSIM support, Android eSIM transfer, Migrate eSIM, embedded SIM, Digital SIM, Samsung

David Delima

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As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More