In the upcoming iOS 16 update, Apple will include an easy way to transfer your eSIM to a new iPhone. Twitter user Carson Waldrop discovered (via MacRumors) that iOS 16 allows users to transfer eSIM cards from an old iPhone to a new one via Bluetooth connection. When you buy a new iPhone, the switch seems to be seamless, allowing you to easily transfer your phone number.
Currently, if you buy a new iPhone and use an eSIM, you must contact your carrier to have the eSIM reissued in iOS (e.g. 15.x and older versions). While some carriers make it simple to transfer an eSIM by using QR codes in their mobile apps, others need you to visit a store. Apple’s new eSIM switch functionality in iOS 16 promises to solve some of these issues, although MacRumors points out that transferring eSIMs via Bluetooth is only possible if the carrier supports the feature.
Because iOS 16 is still in development, carrier support for this new feature is likely to be limited at this time. We won’t know how many carriers and countries will be completely supported until iOS 16 is released later this fall. However, you can try out the iOS 16 developer beta (See: how to install the iOS 16 developer beta on iPhone), and the public betas will be available in July 2022.
The general public version of iOS 16 will be available for free download for compatible iPhones this fall, and it will include features such as customizable lock screens with widgets, iMessage edit and undo send functionality, and an iCloud shared photo library, among other things.
