iOS 19 may support transferring eSIM to an Android device


A change in Google’s SIM Manager app suggests that iOS 19 will include a way to wirelessly transfer an eSIM from an iPhone to an Android device, Android Authority reports.

An error message might have spilled the beans

The discovery comes from the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta, which includes new code strings referencing a “Transfer to Android” option. The code reads:

Enter session ID and passcode
On your other device, go to Settings app > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Transfer to Android > Other Options
“Still can’t connect wirelessly?”
Make sure your other device is running iOS 19 or later versions.”

Currently, there is no Transfer to Android > Other Options in SettingsGeneral > Transfer or Reset iPhone.

If accurate, this would let users initiate a manual eSIM handoff by scanning a QR code from their new Android phone, and completing the setup with a session ID and passcode, likely generated by the iPhone itself.

The process seems to mirror how eSIMs are already moved between Android devices using Google’s SIM Manager. But in this case, the strings specifically mention a failed connection fallback if the iPhone is “not on iOS 19 or later.”

Switching is currently possible, but cumbersome

Although Apple has made iPhone-to-iPhone eSIM transfers seamless in iOS 16 with eSIM Quick Transfer, switching to Android still requires a carrier call and a new activation code. As Apple explains it:

Transferring an eSIM from an Android or other non-Apple device

If you are transferring an eSIM from a non-Apple device to an iPhone, you must contact your carrier to have them transfer your eSIM either by eSIM carrier activation or by providing a QR code. If you purchased your iPhone directly from Apple or from a carrier in the US, they may have already assigned an eSIM to your device. Follow the onscreen instructions to transfer your eSIM. If you do not see onscreen instructions, contact your carrier.”

It’s worth noting that the news comes from a Google app, in an Android beta build, pointing to an unreleased iOS version. But given how closely Apple and Google need to coordinate on carrier systems, and with WWDC just around the corner, this does feel like the real thing.

If it pans out, whether this is Apple getting ahead of future regulatory pressure or simply responding to current regulatory pressure, the result is the same: switching platforms could soon be a little less painful.

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