New Google Pixel 10 rumor suggests it could ditch physical SIMs and go eSIM only

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In the US, at least

The Google Pixel 9 being used to make a phone call
The Pixel 9 certainly has a SIM slot (Image credit: Google)
  • A leak suggests the Pixel 10 could be eSIM only
  • The change may only apply to the US
  • It's something Apple has done since 2022

We're now well used to Google Pixel 10 leaks – the launch of these smartphones is set for Wednesday, August 20 – but the latest one to emerge is a little out of the ordinary, and suggests these handsets could come without physical SIM trays and rely on eSIMs.

The rumor comes from the usually reliable Evan Blass, though it seems he has picked it up from another source. Apparently the Pixel 10 Pro Fold will be the only phone in the range that you can slot a physical SIM card into.

That would mean the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL would be the first Google phones that exclusively rely on eSIMs. However, Blass does add that this information may only apply to the models being sold in the US.

As pointed out by 9to5Google, we have seen SIM trays on some of the leaked Pixel 10 images, but a lot of the renders that have appeared so far don't show the bottom of the devices, which is where the SIM slot is on the Pixel 9 handsets.

The future is eSIM

While it would be a surprise if the Pixel 10 range turned out to be eSIM only, it wouldn't have come right out of the blue: you might remember there were rumors that Google would do this for some of the Pixel 8 models back in 2023.

What's more, it's something Apple has done in the US since the iPhone 14 launched in September 2022. It's a switch that Apple has managed without too much disruption, and it may be that Google is ready to follow suit.

eSIM technology has certainly got a lot simpler and more reliable in recent years, and in many ways is more convenient than using physical SIMs. It also means more space is freed up inside the chassis of the phone for other components.

We only have a week and a half to wait for the official unveiling and to see what Google will do – and we will of course bring you the news as it's announced. Based on rumors, these handsets might not be too much of an upgrade,

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David Nield
David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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