Google is transitioning Pixel 10 phones sold in the US to eSIM-only, removing the physical SIM tray and relying on embedded SIM profiles. The Pixel 10 models support two eSIM profiles, enabling two numbers or plans managed in software or via QR codes. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is an exception and will continue to support a physical SIM alongside eSIM and launches later in October. The change follows last year's Pixel 9 option for either SIM type. eSIM advantages include multiple carrier profiles and separate personal/business lines. Google will add improved SIM-swap support to accommodate the networking change.
Google just announced its latest smartphone lineup, the , and yes, on the surface, they look a whole lot like last year's . However, there is one very significant change under the hood: the move toward using eSIMs only, ditching the physical SIM card entirely. With last year's Pixel 9 series, users had the option of having a traditional SIM card or an eSIM. With the Pixel 10, foregoing the SIM tray altogether is a rather unexpected move that might not be popular with everyone. Note that this change applies to phones in the US only.
So what's the difference between the two? Traditional SIM cards -- familiar to most smartphone users -- are physical, removable chips associated with a single carrier and number. An eSIM (or embedded SIM) is a built-in component that's part of the phone's hardware. The benefits of an eSIM include the ability to have different profiles attached to different numbers or plans -- even different carriers -- on the same device, allowing for different lines for personal or business, for example. The Pixel 10 series phones will support two eSIM "slots," allowing for two different numbers. This is all managed by the phone's software or by scanning a QR code, instead of extracting a chip from the device.
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