SuperSIMs are special SIMs that integrate both card and microSD space. Widespread in China, they could also arrive in Europe. Here are the characteristics
There are SIM, eSIM and SuperSIM: for some time, but only in China, are beginning to spread these new SIM that we could call “hybrid”. SuperSIMs, in fact, combine in a single card a physical nano SIM and a microSD memory card.
What are SuperSIMs used for? To not have to sacrifice the expansion slot to insert a second physical SIM, to have a dual SIM phone. The space available in smartphones, in fact, is limited and today many phones allow you to insert a second SIM only in the same compartment dedicated to microSD. So it’s either one or the other, you can’t have two physical SIMs and a storage space expansion card at the same time. The SuperSIMs, therefore, respond to a specific need and do so quite well, but they have both merits and drawbacks. Their diffusion to the detriment of eSIMs, therefore, is not at all obvious.
SuperSIM: the advantages
The first advantage of using a SuperSIM is the one already described: we don’t have to give up the dual SIM configuration if we want to use a microSD (or, vice versa, we don’t have to give up the microSD if we use two SIMs). It is clear, then, that the phone number and data travel on the same card, so if we change phone and insert the SuperSIM in the other we will already have all our archive available even without having to wait for the classic synchronization of data in the cloud. SuperSIMs, finally, use very high security standards and, consequently, also keep safe our data.
SuperSIM: disadvantages
The main disadvantage of SuperSIMs is that to use them you need a compatible slot in the smartphone. Then consider the price, which is not low compared to the sum of the prices of a normal SIM and a microSD memory. Very complex, then, the management of the issuance of SuperSIM that, at least in theory, should be up to the phone operators. Which, however, are not equipped for the production of memories. So they would have to outsource to manufacturers even the creation of the SIM. Finally, there is the fact that it is not possible to split the memory from the SIM: if we want to change SIM, therefore, we will have to transfer all the data contained in the microSD section to another memory. And if we run out of space on the microSD section, we won’t be able to replace it.
SuperSIM Vs eSIM
SuperSIMs are spreading in China, but it is not certain that they will be successful in Europe. In our continent, in fact, it would seem more likely the diffusion of eSIMs that, being virtual, allow the user maximum freedom of configuration and a great simplicity in transferring a number from one smartphone to another. If SuperSIMs were to spread in Europe, however, could carve out an interesting role: that of SIM dedicated to the enjoyment of streaming video content, with the consequent ability to purchase and download (on the same SuperSIM, of course) content.