Switching your eSIM from iPhone to Android may get way easier soon

Summary

Transferring your eSIM between an iPhone and Android device could soon become much easier.
Lines of string were spotted in the latest Android 16 beta that suggests a new feature to transfer eSIMs between iPhones running iOS 19 and Android devices running Android 16 is coming soon.
Transferring an eSIM between an iPhone and Android currently requires contacting your mobile carrier. This may no longer be the case soon.

Over the last few years, physical SIM cards have been gradually disappearing, with eSIMs (digital SIM cards) taking their place. In 2022, Apple took a bold step forward in embracing eSIM by entirely eliminating the physical SIM card tray from its iPhones, starting with the iPhone 14 lineup in the US. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 series followed suit.

While eSIMs are a quick and convenient way to connect to your mobile carrier, one drawback is that switching between iPhone and Android is unfortunately not as convenient as it was in the past, when you could simply remove your SIM card and insert it into your new iPhone or Android device without much hassle.

However, transferring an eSIM from an iPhone to an Android device (or vice versa) typically requires you to contact your mobile carrier for a new QR code or activation code for your eSIM, which can be a hassle. Fortunately, with Android 16 and Apple’s upcoming iOS update (iOS 19 or iOS 26?), the process could soon become much simpler.

Brand: Apple
SoC: A18 (3nm)
Display: 6.1-inch 2556 x 1179 pixel resolution Super Retina XDR, 2000 nits, 60Hz
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Ports: USB-C

This year’s iPhone 16 line blurs the line between the “Pro” and the base-level iPhone by offering a new camera button and the Action Button, alongside the A18 chip.

5 big Android 16 UI changes that aren’t being talked about enough

Google is making bold design changes in Android 16, but I’m not fully sold just yet

Android 16 and iOS 19 could make transferring eSIMs seamless

New lines of string in the recent Android 16 beta point to a new eSIM transfer feature

Google recently released its latest Android 16 QPR1 Beta, just a few weeks ahead of the expected launch of Android 16 in June. In some new lines of string (a line of code used to hold text) in Google’s eSIM manager app, Android Authority spotted language that suggests the app could soon support transferring eSIMs from Android to iPhone and vice versa.

Currently, the Google eSIM manager allows Android users to transfer their eSIM between different Android devices, not to iPhones. And Apple’s eSIM transfer functionality only works between iPhones.

The new line of string states, “Make sure your other device is running iOS 19 or later versions,” seemingly suggesting that support for wirelessly transferring an eSIM between Android and iOS is indeed being worked on for the latest versions of each OS.

If this new line of string is accurate, and a new eSIM transfer feature actually gets implemented, this would be a massive win for consumers…

Based on the line of string, it’s believed that with iOS 19, a new “Transfer to Android” page will become available under the iPhone’s transfer settings, which can be found under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. It’s not clear how the process will work, but it could involve scanning a QR code with your Android that gets generated on your iPhone or by using a session ID and passcode.

With Android 16 expected in June and iOS 19 expected to launch this fall, it’s likely that this new eSIM transfer feature between the two operating systems won’t be released until the iPhone 17 series launches alongside iOS 19.

If this new line of string is accurate, and a new eSIM transfer feature actually gets implemented, this would be a massive win for consumers, as it would make switching between Android devices and iPhones a much easier process. Gone will be the days of having to contact your mobile carrier for a new eSIM activation code or QR code.

This feature should’ve been implemented years ago, but it’s better late than never, I suppose.

Mobile carriers will likely be happy about this, as it means less work on their end. And for tech enthusiasts and tech journalists, it will make their life a lot easier when they’re testing new smartphones and need to transfer an eSIM between iOS and Android on the fly. This feature should’ve been implemented years ago, but it’s better late than never, I suppose.

Apple will unveil iOS 19 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference ( WWDC) event on June 9, 2025. According to Bloomberg, Apple may announce at WWDC that it is abandoning its current naming convention for iOS, possibly renaming iOS 19 to iOS 26 to align with its primary year of operation, which is technically 2026. Regardless of the naming decision, I hope Apple will announce this eSIM transfer feature at WWDC.