Qualcomm integrates iSIM support in Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor

Qualcomm together with their partner Thales has just announced the world’s first commercially deployable iSIM or integrated SIM on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform.

This essentially means that a separate chip would no longer be needed to have SIM card functionality such as eSIMs, but will now have SIM functionality directly embedded on the phone’s chipset using the iSIM.

Thales detailed two key features of iSIMs:

1. It saves space by eliminating the need for a separate component, allowing for the secure connection of smaller devices.
2. It requires significantly less power than eSIMs, making, for example, massive IoT use cases more operational.

Qualcomm says that the new iSIM is fully compliant with the GSMA (Global Association for the Mobile Communications Industry) Remote SIM Provisioning standard and with GSMA’s security certification2, it ensures that iSIMs support the same high standard of cyber-protection and flexible connectivity similar to eSIMs.

The iSIM is said to “offer device makers further opportunities to save space and reduce build and supply chain costs while maintaining best-in-class security level.” 

Although this would mean that phone manufacturers could make room for better components, bigger batteries, or added hardware, it’s not a given that phone companies will lower their prices in response to these cost savings.

They further stated that iSIMs are intended to complement SIMs and eSIMs and they predict that global iSIM shipments will reach 300 million by 2027.

“We are very pleased to see our investment in high assurance processor hardware security, in collaboration with Thales, achieving the security and functional bar required by the GSMA for Remote Provisioning UICC use case. We believe a Tamper Resistant Element integrated within the host processor can efficiently enable innovative use cases across many markets and product segments,” — Ziad Asghar, Senior Vice President of Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

To learn more about the benefits and utility of iSIMs , you can visit Thales’ website.