Last-minute Pixel 10 leak says no SIM tray, launch in 10 days at Made by Google event

India Today

16 hours ago

Rumours are swirling once again in Pixel land, and this time they could spell a rather big change for Google's upcoming flagship series. The Pixel 10 family, expected sometime next year, might just wave goodbye to a little metal component that's been a part of every smartphone since the early days: the humble SIM card tray.According to a fresh post by well-known tipster Evan Blass on X (formerly Twitter), Google is allegedly plotting to strip the physical SIM slot from three of its next-gen handsets: the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL. Instead, these devices would rely entirely on eSIM technology, specifically, two active eSIM slots to keep you connected. In other words, if this leak is accurate, you'll never have to poke your phone with that little pin again, though you might also lose the ability to quickly swap SIMs on the go.advertisementInterestingly, Blass claims the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, the foldable expected to launch alongside the rest of the line-up, will still hang on to its physical SIM tray. It's almost as if Google has decided foldable owners deserve that extra bit of old-school flexibility.
But there's another wrinkle: Blass responded to one curious follower asking whether this SIM tray removal would be a global decision or a region-specific one. His answer? The eSIM-only move could be limited to the United States. If that's the case, buyers in other markets might still get their beloved SIM slot, though, as always, that remains unconfirmed.Now, while the leak is intriguing, it's far from bulletproof. For starters, Blass is usually a deadpan, detail-first type of tipster, but this post began with an oddly vague 'tipster suggests' intro, unusual for someone with his track record. Then there's the matter of other Pixel 10 leaks we've already seen. Early CAD-based renders showed a perfectly ordinary SIM slot across all models. Even real-life prototype images that surfaced online featured a SIM tray in the frame. That doesn't exactly scream 'eSIM revolution'.It's also worth pointing out that the images we've seen in recent weeks haven't shown the top edge of the phone in great detail, which is where the SIM slot would usually be visible. That leaves just enough mystery for speculation to thrive. And thrive it has: the replies under Blass's post quickly filled with strong opinions.Some Pixel fans see this potential change as inevitable. Apple has already gone eSIM-only with its US iPhone 14 and 15 models, and the writing could be on the wall for physical SIMs in certain regions. eSIMs can make devices more waterproof, free up internal space for other components, and simplify network switching for those comfortable doing everything digitally.Others, however, are less enthusiastic. Travellers, in particular, often prefer a physical SIM slot because it makes buying and popping in a local SIM card quick and painless. With eSIMs, the process can be more fiddly – and if your phone breaks, transferring an eSIM to another device isn't always as straightforward as swapping a card.If Google does follow through with this change, it could find itself walking a tightrope between innovation and alienating a chunk of its audience. In the US, the transition to eSIMs has been slow but steady, with major carriers embracing the tech. Still, there are plenty of people who simply like the reassurance of having a physical card they can hold in their hand.advertisementOf course, there's every chance this rumour turns out to be a false alarm, or at least a premature one. Google might be testing eSIM-only models internally, or exploring a regional rollout, without committing to ditching the SIM tray everywhere. After all, smartphone manufacturers often trial multiple hardware configurations before settling on the final production design.Until we see more concrete leaks, or hear from Google itself, it's wise to keep the salt shaker handy. But if you're a die-hard SIM card loyalist living in the US, you might want to brace yourself for the possibility that your next Pixel could be missing that little slot you've been using for years. On the bright side, you'll no longer have to rummage through drawers looking for that fiddly SIM ejector tool.- Ends