5G E-Sim Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Solution (Hardware, Connectivity Services), By Application (Consumer Electronics (Smartphones, Wearables, Others), M2M (Automotive, Energy & Utilities, Others)), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2024 To 2029

The 5G e-sim market was valued at US$2,518.995 million in 2022.

GROWTH DRIVERS

• Rising 5G broadband subscription is anticipated to drive the market expansion.

5G technology unlike previous generation networks provides device-network connection without experiencing any slowdowns which has the new services and products development relying on high-speed bandwidth. The modern approach used by the 5G network which involves the usage of e-sim makes it ideal for various applications such as consumer electronics.

Over the years, the trend of smartphone adoption has picked up pace fuelled by the improvement in living standards and rapid urbanization which has accelerated demand for high-speed networks, thereby driving 5G demand. Ericsson’s “Mobility Report” stated that by 2029 global 5G subscriptions will reach 5.3 billion from 2023’s strength of 1.6 billion thereby showing a significant growth of 330%. As per the source North America with 61% witnessed the highest 5G subscription rate by the end of 2023.

E-SIM offers greater coverage, faster speed, and responsiveness which makes it easy for devices to connect to a 5G network without changing SIM. With the growing 5G subscription the demand for e-sim has also increased. For instance, according to the GMSA’s “Mobile Economy 2024”, e-sim smartphone connection is expected to reach 1 billion by 2025 and by 2030 the figure will witness a remarkable growth reaching up to 6.9 billion. Major Economies namely the USA are at the forefront of e-sim adoption, especially for smartphones.

EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE GLOBAL 5G E-SIM MARKET

• CONNECTIVITY SERVICES AND CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Application-wise, the 5G e-sim market is analyzed into consumer electronics, and M2M, where the former is anticipated to show significant growth during the forecast period fuelled by the high applicability of e-sim in smartphones, and wearables. According to the “Mobile Economy 2024” report issued by GSMA, by the end of the first half of 2023, smartphones accounted for 60% of e-sim consumer devices followed by smartwatches and tablets. The same source specified that as of June 2023, e-sim services for smartphones were launched in 116 globally. 

The booming 5G device demand, followed by innovation in chip technologies, new 5G use cases development, and availability of OTA SIM platforms are exercising innovations, flexibility, and efficiency in 5G applications. Hence, various product launches, collaborations, and partnerships are being implemented to bolster e-sim technology adoption. For instance,

• In May 2024, Evolving System expanded its DSA (Dynamic SIM Allocation) technology by supporting the current infrastructure for the 5G spectrum which would enable the telecom operators to thrive with advanced 5G capabilities. The technology would allow instant on-demand real-time SIM activation which would enhance customer response times.
• In January 2022, IDEMIA formed a collaboration with Microsoft which aimed at the development of next-generation eSIM and connectivity solutions that would be used in M2M/IoT and consumer devices. The collaboration with further accelerate the development of advanced connectivity features and will also provide network slicing opportunities for the 5G back-end system.

GEOGRAPHICAL PRESENCE

The 5G e-sim market, based on geography, is segmented into the Americas, Europe Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. Americas is estimated to show significant growth fueled by the growing 5G penetration in major regional economies namely the USA. Likewise, countries such as China, Japan, and South Kingdom in the APAC and the United Kingdom and Germany in EMEA are also investing in expanding their 5G coverage.

The nations are witnessing a series of developments such as product launches, and collaborations which are projected to drive market expansion. For instance,

• In May 2024, Swiss International Airlines in collaboration with eSIM Go launched new travel e-sim services that would provide passengers with appropriate connectivity during travelling. The service uses eSIM GO’s digital mobile ecosystem and based on 1,000 Tier 1 worldwide mobile networks inclusive of 250 5G, it provides a range of data bundle options.
• In May 2024, Starhub’s Giga launched three 5G E-sim plans that would enable easy access to 5G networks without having any slowdowns. The plans provide reliable network connectivity and free monthly data roaming for five popular destinations namely India, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
• In February 2024, Giesecke+Devrient GmbH formed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Unicom to bolster the roll-out of e-sim technology and services in China. The collaboration would further explore e-sim usage in various vertical areas, IoT new use cases, and the booming 5G technology in China thereby further accelerating the deployment.

MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE MARKET

Some of the leading players in the market include Airalo, Celitech Inc, and Idemia, among others. The product offerings of the major corporation include the following:

Segmentation:

• By Solution
  • Hardware
  • Connectivity Services
• By Application
  • Consumer Electronics
    • Smartphones
    • Wearables
    • Others
  • M2M
    • Automotive
    • Energy and Utilities
    • Others
• By Geography
  • Americas
    • United States
    • Others
  • Europe, Middle East, and Africa
    • Germany
    • UK
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Others