The need for robust security to address the ever-increasing threats to mobile device security and user privacy has never been greater. While mobile technology continues to advance at a breathtaking pace, security solutions must also evolve quickly to address increasing security challenges.
For cellular devices, operators and OEMs have long relied on the commonly known SIM, or Subscriber Identity Module, to securely store subscription and account information. Traditionally, the SIM has been a removable card that needs to be inserted in the device to access cellular service. While the SIM card has been quite effective in its intended purpose, its physical attributes result in several shortcomings such as the amount of hardware space required on the device, and lack of remote subscription delivery and management, resulting in a lack of flexibility for the ecosystem.
To help address these shortcomings, Qualcomm Technologies is introducing a key innovation that advances the ubiquitous “SIM card” to the next generation of device security and user experiences. This latest advancement is the Integrated eUICC (Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card) or iSIM. Integrated eUICC brings secure connectivity to ever smaller devices in ways not possible before with conventional, larger SIMs. Being an integrated technology, the iSIM is implemented in the applications processor SOC of the device so that users can conveniently and securely activate or manage their cellular service.
Integrated eUICC can help accelerate global deployment of secure cellular devices. In summary, integrated eUICCs can:
- Simplify device design and real estate
- Host multiple subscriptions on a SIM in accordance with industry standards
- Host additional applications such as eID (electronic ID), banking, transit applications and more
- Enable remote SIM Provisioning
The first mobile solution to support eUICC is the Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform. The built-in Qualcomm Secure Processing Unit (SPU) in Snapdragon 888 features an integrated Secure Element (iSE), enabling new security-critical use cases and applications.