From Monday, Movistar customers in Spain can use electronic SIM cards known as eSIM- in their smartphones.

The announcement has just appeared a week after the launch of iOS 12.1, an update from software which activates the eSIM system on iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

Unlike conventional SIM cards, eSIM they do not require the insertion of a physical card inside the phone. The customer only needs access information – provided by the operator – which, once entered in the parameters section of the smartphone, allow you to connect to the telephone network. This identification information can be entered manually or by scanning a QR code generated by the operator himself.

For the time being, Movistar eSIM cards are compatible only and exclusively with iPhone XR, XS and XS Max. However, the operator clarifies that "as new eSIM-compatible devices appear on the market, they can be used with Movistar eSIM".

New customers You can enjoy the Movistar eSIM at no additional cost. However, customers will already have to pay 11 euros, the same amount as the one requested by the company to obtain a duplicate of the standard SIM card.

Some important appreciations:

• The eSIM card is compatible with the MultiSIM service. A customer can have both an eSIM on an iPhone XS and a physical SIM on a Galaxy Note 9.

• Restoring the phone from the factory does not delete the data from the eSIM. The customer will have to access the specific application to delete the data associated with the eSIM.

• Although the Apple Watch uses an eSIM to connect to LTE networks, Movistar does not mention it in any of its official communications. hypertext contacted Telefónica about this. We will update this article when an answer is issued.

• When eSIM expansion will develop, manufacturers such as Apple or Samsung will eliminate SIM card slots from their phones. The future goes through the electronic SIM card.