Google Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro ditch SIM cards in the US
The new Pixel phones will only support eSIMs, with one exception
📱 The Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro don’t have physical SIM card slots
📶 Google has removed them in favor of eSIM technology
🔐 eSIM is widely regarded as being more secure and allows for more phone lines on a single device
📖 The Pixel 10 Pro Fold still comes with a physical SIM slot
📅 Google will release the Pixel 10 and 10 Pro on August 28
Google just announced the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro, and while they each come with plenty of upgrades like bigger batteries and better cameras, they’re also missing something that the Pixel 9 had: a physical SIM card slot.
More: Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold hands-on: similar size, but new AI tricks, MagSafe and dust resistance
Like the iPhone did back in 2022, Google has decided to ditch the physical SIM slot in the Pixel 10 series. The change only affects phones sold in the United States (also like the iPhone), and it forces you to exclusively use eSIM to set up your data plan.
Many arguments in favor of eSIM have been made over the years. Security and privacy are the pinnacle advantages compared to physical SIM cards, since they’re far harder to hack and impossible to physically steal. You can also set up multiple eSIMs and have multiple numbers associated with your phone. It also frees up space inside the phone and allows manufacturers to add things like bigger batteries, which Google did with the Pixel 10 series.
Of course, it’s not a perfect technology. Ask anyone who’s had to switch to eSIM and they’ll probably tell you it was difficult to get their carrier to transfer it to their new device, or convert an existing physical SIM to an electronic one. Bugs are also a regular issue when dealing with eSIMs; sometimes, you can download a SIM profile and your number simply doesn’t carry over (I’ve experienced this more than once).
Google promotes the added security of eSIMS in a support document, saying “they’re more secure and less damage-prone than physical SIM cards.” While users will undoubtedly run into occasional issues setting up eSIMs on Pixel 10 because they are, in fact, eSIMs, at least your phone number has a lesser chance of being hacked.
Notably, only the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL are SIM-free in the US. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold will come with a physical SIM card slot everywhere it’s sold.
Google will release the Pixel 10 family on August 28, with the Fold arriving on October 9.
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Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.