What SIM does Pixel 2 have?

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are interesting smartphones, because they’re the first phones to appear with an entirely new type of SIM card: an eSIM. However, the Pixel 2 has a more traditional SIM card slot too. Here’s what you need to know about SIM cards and the Pixel 2.

What’s an eSIM?

An eSIM is a more modern version of a SIM card. Instead of being a removable card that you swap out when you want to change providers, the eSIM is a fixed, integrated chip that takes up a fraction of the space. It’s not accessible without disassembling your phone, so you’ll change mobile providers in software instead.

Which networks support Pixel eSIM cards?

At the moment, Google’s own Project Fi MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) in the United States is the only network that will use the Pixel 2’s eSIM capabilties. However, due to the nature of the card, more networks in the US and abroad may support the Pixel’s eSIM card in the future.

What about standard SIM cards?

The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL also come with a traditional nano SIM slot, the same as you’ll find on recent iPhone and Android phones. The SIM card tray is found on the left side of the phone, and will accept a range of mobile network SIM cards from all over the world.

Can I use an eSIM and a nano SIM simultaneously? Is the Pixel 2 a dual-SIM phone?

Sadly, no. At the moment, you can either use the eSIM slot for Google Fi, or the nano SIM slot for all other mobile networks. It’s unclear if this functionality could be added at a later day, but for now it seems that the Pixel is not a dual-SIM phone.

What’s the point of eSIM then?

There’s no direct benefit to Pixel 2 owners at the moment. Google haven’t saved space as they’ve needed to include both an eSIM and a nano SIM tray, and having both options doesn’t provide any new benefits (as you can also use Google Fi with a traditional nano SIM card).

However, in the future it may be possible to switch to new networks without inserting a new SIM card, and that could be kind of cool. EE in the UK already support eSIMs (as seen on the Apple Watch), so they might be one network to watch if you’re a Pixel 2 owner.

More importantly though, Google including eSIM in their new flagship phones does drive support for the standard amongst mobile carriers, and should allow for an eSIM-only device down the road, which would provide both usability and design advantages.

Wrapping up; any questions?

So, the Pixel 2 comes with a novel eSIM and a traditional nano SIM. For almost all users, the nano SIM will be the one you use, but this could change down the line. Hopefully we’ll see more eSIM phones and networks in the future.

I hope this article has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments, let us know below!