Google starts working on QR Code-based eSIM transfer for Android devices

SAN FRANCISCO: Google has begun the groundwork for enabling QR code-based eSIM transfers on Android.

Announced earlier this year, the tech giant is working to provide support for an eSIM transfer feature in Android that would allow users to migrate their eSIM between devices natively, reports 9To5Google.

It's an essential feature because, as of right now, there isn't a native way to transfer an eSIM between Android devices, leaving the process entirely up to the carriers.

The feature will prompt users to scan a QR code to start the transfer process.

"Seeing as most of this functionality is not yet live, we were only able to access this beginning portion, with @AssembleDebug also having been able to uncover a Fast Pair-like UI that appears before scanning the QR code," the report said.

For comparison, Apple has simplified the eSIM transfer process for iPhones by creating a tool within iOS that allows easy wireless transfer of eSIM between iPhones.

Last month, Google had released the Android 14 Beta 4 update which included an 'auto-confirm unlock' feature, a variety of fixes, system performance improvements, and much more.

According to Android researcher Mishaal Rahman, the 'auto-confirm' feature unlocks the users' phone automatically when they enter the PIN correctly.

However, the PIN must be 6 digits or more to enable this.

Rahman had also said that the update included new default profile picture options.

Also, as per the Android researcher, users can see their phone’s manufactured year under Settings > About phone > Model,

"The 'ring volume' and 'notification volume' sliders are now completely separated in Android 14, with no way to merge them again. In older betas, the separation was controlled by a DeviceConfig flag, but that flag’s no longer in use," he had added.