List of 30+ eSIM-Compatible Phones 2026 (iPhone, Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi)

Are you standing in a store and wondering whether this phone supports eSIM? Or did you just buy a U.S. iPhone overseas and discover it has no physical SIM slot? This article compiles more than 30 eSIM-compatible phones, tablets, and smartwatches as of 2026, focusing on 5 main brand groups: Apple, Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, and the Vivo/Oppo/Huawei group.

Overview of eSIM-compatible devices

The eSIM journey began rather quietly. In 9/2017, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 3 G GPS + Cellular, one of the world’s first mainstream consumer products to use eSIM. Just one year later, on 12/9/2018, the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR trio brought eSIM to smartphones, opening the stage for users to become familiar with the concept of electronic SIMs.

As of 2026, there are more than 200 phone, tablet, and smartwatch models that support eSIM. These devices span many major brands, with the most notable being Apple, Samsung, Google, Xiaomi, and several other Android makers such as Vivo, Oppo, and Huawei.

Each brand implements eSIM differently. Apple is the most aggressive, with the U.S. version of the iPhone 14 having completely removed the physical SIM slot since 2022. Samsung takes a both/and approach, keeping the physical SIM slot while adding eSIM. Google follows a middle path, while Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo entered later but are now accelerating clearly.

eSIM-compatible iPhone: From iPhone XS to iPhone 17

Apple began bringing eSIM to iPhone in 2018 with the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR trio. Since then, almost every new iPhone generation has supported eSIM, with no product line left out. By the end of 2025, the iPhone had gone through 8 eSIM-enabled generations, with the most notable milestone being 2022, when the U.S. version of the iPhone 14 officially removed the physical SIM slot.

The biggest milestone was on 7/9/2022, when Apple announced that the U.S. version of the iPhone 14 no longer had a physical SIM slot. Since then, the company has not returned to the old SIM configuration in the U.S. market. With the iPhone 17 launched in 9/2025, the eSIM-only policy continued to expand to another 10 markets, mainly in North America, Japan, and the Gulf region. Meanwhile, Vietnam, the EU, the UK, China, and India still keep the dual SIM configuration, at least with no changes in this period.

From the iPhone XS onward, each device can store up to 8 eSIM profiles in the eUICC chip and activate up to 2 lines simultaneously under DSDS. However, at any one time, the device can use only 1 mobile data line. In practice, most users only need 1 primary SIM and 1 travel eSIM for everyday use.

eSIM-compatible iPad: From iPad Pro 2018 to iPad Pro M4

The iPad was one of the device lines where Apple introduced eSIM relatively early. The 3-generation iPad Pro, released at the end of 2018, the same year as the iPhone XS, was one of Apple’s first tablets to support eSIM. However, users should note one important point: only the WiFi + Cellular version has eSIM, while the WiFi-only version does not support mobile connectivity at all.

One less-noticed detail is that the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air, launched in 5/2024, switched to eSIM-only globally. That means not only the U.S. version, but every Cellular version of these two iPad lines in any market no longer has a physical SIM slot. If you buy an M4 iPad Pro Cellular in Vietnam, Singapore, the U.S., or Europe, the result is the same: eSIM only.

For Vietnamese users who often buy imported iPads, pay special attention to the iPad Pro 3 generation, iPad Air 3 generation, and iPad mini 5 generation in China or Hong Kong versions. These versions do not have eSIM because the Chinese market has not enabled consumer eSIM for local users.

Apple Watch with eSIM support: From Series 3 to Ultra 2

Apple Watch is easier to distinguish than iPhone because there is no difference between U.S., Vietnam, or international versions in terms of eSIM. All Apple Watch Cellular models use eSIM globally. Users only need to check whether the watch is the Cellular or GPS-only version, because the GPS version has no eSIM and cannot be used 4G independently for calls or messages.

In Vietnam, Viettel, VinaPhone, and MobiFone all supported Apple Watch Cellular from the 2019 – 2020 period. Vietnamobile also supported Apple Watch eSIM activation from the end of 2022. Apple Watch uses a “number sharing” connection mechanism, meaning the watch shares the same phone number as the iPhone and does not need an independent subscription.

Samsung Galaxy with eSIM support: From S20 international version to S25 Ultra

Samsung chose a different path from Apple. Instead of removing the physical SIM slot, the company keeps nano-SIM and adds eSIM in parallel, creating a dual SIM coexist configuration. The first Galaxy line to have eSIM was the international Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra, launched in 2/2020.

One very easy-to-miss point is that the Galaxy S20 FE does not support eSIM in any market because Samsung removed the feature to lower the price. The U.S. version of the Galaxy S20 series initially also did not have eSIM, but it was later enabled through the One UI 4 update. Therefore, if you buy a used U.S. device, you should still check again after updating the software before concluding that the phone has no eSIM.

Galaxy S24 Ultra and S25 Ultra support multi-eSIM, allowing multiple profiles to be stored and up to 2 lines used simultaneously under DSDS. The actual configuration is usually 1 physical nano-SIM combined with 1 eSIM, or 2 eSIM depending on the market. Even so, like the iPhone, the device can still use only 1 mobile data line at a time.

Google Pixel with eSIM support: From Pixel 2 to Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Google Pixel has a very notable detail: the Pixel 2, launched on 4/10/2017, was actually the world’s first smartphone with an eSIM chip, just about a month after Apple Watch Series 3 and nearly a year before the iPhone XS. However, because the Pixel 2 used eSIM only for Google’s Project Fi and did not yet support all carriers widely, this information is often overlooked.

One easy-to-misstate point is that the Pixel 3, launched in 10/2018, had eSIM hardware, but at the time of sale it only supported Google Fi and Sprint. The first Pixel to support eSIM for many carriers in a universal carrier direction was the Pixel 4, launched in 10/2019. So if you see any comparison table saying the Pixel 3 supported every carrier right from launch, that information needs to be checked again.

Google chose a fairly balanced implementation. Pixel devices still keep the nano-SIM slot, but from the Pixel 8 onward, the company has pushed eSIM more strongly with a simpler activation process and deeper cooperation with carriers in the U.S. Users can refer to the article “how to activate eSIM” for details on the setup process on Pixel.

Other Android lines: Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Huawei

Android brands outside Samsung and Google entered eSIM later. Most eSIM-capable flagship models from this group only started appearing from 2021 onward. Vietnamese users should pay special attention to region, because eSIM in the Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo groups is often only available on EU or Global versions, while the domestic China versions very often do not have eSIM.

There are three important points Vietnamese users should remember. First, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, launched in 3/2021, does not support native eSIM in any region; Xiaomi’s first true eSIM flagship is the Xiaomi 13 series. Second, the Oppo Find X6 Pro and Oppo Find X7 standard are only domestic China versions, with no global version for the Vietnamese market, so they cannot use eSIM in Vietnam. Third, Huawei has had eSIM since the Mate 40 Pro onward, but because it lacks Google Mobile Services, the experience with many international apps will be limited.

Devices that do not support eSIM and should not be mistaken when buying

The list of eSIM-compatible devices keeps getting longer, but that does not mean every new phone has eSIM. In reality, quite a few models released in the 2024 – 2025 period still do not support eSIM, especially budget phones, China domestic imports, or certain special region versions. When buying used or imported phones, users should be careful with the following groups:

When buying a used or imported phone, do not just trust the seller’s claim that “this phone definitely has eSIM.” The safest way is to check directly on the device itself through the settings or by dialing *#06# before paying.

How are U.S. iPhones different from international versions?

This is a very important section for Vietnamese users who often buy imported iPhones. From the iPhone 14 onward, the U.S. version no longer has a physical SIM slot. When opening the box, users will not find a SIM tray on the side of the phone, and this is not a design defect or product flaw but Apple’s policy applied since 7/9/2022.

The quickest way to tell is to check the model number under Settings → General → About → Model Number. The suffix will show the region and corresponding SIM configuration. Among these, two very easy-to-confuse codes are ZP/A and ZA/A, but in fact they are completely different configurations.

The biggest trap is the Hong Kong iPhone with code ZA/A. Many people see the phone has 2 SIM and think it is nano-SIM + eSIM, but in fact it has 2 physical SIM slots and no eSIM at all. Meanwhile, the Singapore iPhone with code ZP/A uses the nano-SIM + eSIM configuration just like the Vietnam version. A single wrong letter in the model code can lead users to buy a product that is completely different in eSIM capability.

With the iPhone 17 launched in 9/2025, the list of eSIM-only markets has expanded to 11 regions, including the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Guam. The Vietnam VN/A, UK B/A, EU, Singapore ZP/A, and Korea KH/A versions still keep the dual SIM configuration.

For Vietnamese buyers of imported iPhones in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the consequences are very clear. If you buy a U.S. version of the iPhone 14, 15, 16, or 17, you must use an eSIM from Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone, or Vietnamobile because the device has no slot for a nano-SIM. The difference in implementation philosophy between Apple and Samsung can be explored further in the article “The History of eSIM Development.”

How to check for yourself whether your phone supports eSIM

In many cases, users do not remember the exact model or are not sure which region their device is from. In that case, the most reliable way is to check directly on the device. There are 5 common methods, depending on the operating system and phone brand you are using.

Among the methods above, entering *#06# is the fastest and most universal. If the screen shows an EID, usually a 32-character string starting with 89, your device has an eUICC chip and can use eSIM. If you only see an IMEI but no EID, the device is most likely not eSIM-compatible. The technical mechanism behind this check is explained in more detail in the article “How does eSIM work”.

If the settings section does show “Add eSIM” but activation keeps failing, the issue may not necessarily be with the device. In that case, the problem may come from the carrier’s backend system or the eSIM plan you are using. If you are concerned about security before switching to a digital SIM, you can also read the article “Is eSIM secure and safe”.

Once you are sure your device supports eSIM and you are preparing for an overseas trip, you can take a look at SimPM’s travel eSIM plansSimPM. SimPM provides support via Zalo 24/7 and the website simpm.vn, suitable for users who need quick activation and plan advice based on destination and length of stay. Some popular destinations for Vietnamese travelers include Korea eSIM for cherry blossom season, Japan eSIM for red maple leaf season, and Europe eSIM for Schengen trips. Just tell us your destination and departure date, and the support team will recommend a plan that fits your usage needs.