eSIM: market progress, consumer behaviour and adoption to 2030

At present, there is a gap between industry progress with eSIM technology and consumer awareness/adoption of eSIM. Good progress is being made, as indicated by the universal acceptance of global standard specifications for consumer devices, widespread availability of eSIM management platforms and implementation of eSIM in flagship phones (including 5G phones) and companion devices. Additionally, as of June 2022, more than 260 operators (MNOs and MVNOs) have launched commercial eSIM service for smartphones. That’s good progress at the industry level, but less than 30% of consumers (on average across eight major countries analysed) are aware of eSIM – this is a barrier to adoption at scale.

This report examines the state of the eSIM consumer market (e.g. devices, services) and provides our forecast for eSIM adoption through 2030. Our baseline scenario predicts around 850 million eSIM smartphone connections globally by 2025, growing to 6.7 billion by 2030. This would account for 76% of the total number of smartphone connections. Building on our surveys, we also analyse the consumer behavior for eSIM (e.g. do consumers know what eSIM is and are they interested in adopting eSIM) and the expectations of eSIM vendors for what could accelerate adoption of eSIM in the smartphone market going forward.

The accompanying file provides relevant data related to eSIM devices and services and a dynamic dashboard for eSIM consumer behaviour – a valuable asset for companies looking to formulate or adjust their commercial eSIM strategies and plans.