eSIMs annoyed me for years, until I saw what they do for a stolen Galaxy

I used to hate eSIMs. From the moment they were introduced to mainstream smartphones, I complained bitterly about not wanting my phone to become less modular.

At the time, I could picture all the advantages of having a physical SIM you can easily remove and transfer between devices.

But it took me another couple of years to finally realize the advantages that come with having an eSIM.

As time goes on, I'm grateful that eSIMs are becoming the default for most flagship devices in the US. By the end of this breakdown, you'll understand why.

A lost phone is only as findable as its connection

An eSIM gives a thief nothing to pop out

If your phone goes missing or is stolen, you can use Samsung Find or Google Find Hub to locate it.

On Android phones, this tracking only works if your phone is switched on and Airplane mode is off.

For Samsung Galaxy phones, a setting helps ensure a thief can't turn off your phone or switch on Airplane mode from your lock screen.

The feature is called Lock network and security, and it also ensures that if your phone is stolen, the thief can't turn off your mobile data or Wi-Fi.

Lock network and security is NOT activated by default on Galaxy phones. You must turn it on manually. To do that, go to Lock screen and AOD > Secure lock settings. Then, provide your passcode and turn on Lock network and security.

The advantage of having your phone connected to the internet is that it makes tracking it more reliable.

Even though Samsung Find and Google Find Hub can track an offline phone, countless tests have shown that online tracking is still far more reliable.

So, if you're like me, and most of the people in my region of the world, whose internet connection is primarily provided by mobile data, you'd want your SIM to be in your phone at all times.

That's what makes eSIMs so superb.

A thief only needs a pin, not my PIN

Unless my mobile data sits on an eSIM

When your phone goes missing or is stolen, you'd want your chances of getting it back to be as high as possible. That's exactly what an eSIM does.

It makes it impossible for a thief to remove your physical SIM and take your phone offline without your passcode.

So, even with your device in their hands, Samsung Find and Google Find Hub can do their best job of locating your phone.

Not only that, but IMEI tracking would still be an option for locating your phone, even with your eSIM inside it. That's because IMEI tracking relies on an active SIM inside your phone.

As someone who knows what it feels like to have their phone stolen, this benefit is enough to make eSIMs a good replacement for physical SIMs.

However, none of these benefits automatically eliminate the trade-offs of using an eSIM.

Moving my eSIM is still a chore

And it always ends at my carrier's office

The most annoying thing about eSIMs is how much work it takes to move them from one device to another.

To be fair, some manufacturers, like Samsung, try to make the process easier by offering Instant Transfer. This feature lets you transfer your eSIM from one phone to another without contacting your carrier.

However, the feature is not available for all carriers. For instance, in the US, Samsung's page lists 40 carriers that may support eSIM on a Galaxy.

Of those 40, only 10 are listed as Instant Transfer compatible. That means the remaining 30 support eSIM but do not offer Instant Transfer.

For my country, none of the four carriers provide Instant Transfer. So I can't move my eSIM from one phone to another without physically going to my carrier's customer support office.

That's a lot of stress for something a physical SIM would've let me do in under 60 seconds.

Still, I've accepted the trade, and I think the added security eSIMs offer is worth all the hassle.

I just wish the Instant Transfer feature were available for carriers in my region.

Every lost part comes with a gain

As much as I understand the need to make our phones more secure, I still miss the times when they were much more modular.

I miss being able to remove my phone's run-down battery and replace it with a charged spare.

I miss being able to move my SIM card from one phone to another without visiting my carrier's customer support office.

But as they say, nothing good comes without a cost.

That is not to say that these restrictions on our smartphones have been entirely good and worth the trade-offs. In reality, it depends on your situation.

But as someone with first-hand experience of the benefits of reduced smartphone modularity, I've come to accept the compromises that come with it.

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