• Close to half a billion eSIM-capable devices were shipped in 2023, making it the best year for the ecosystem.
• G+D, Thales and IDEMIA emerged as ‘Pacesetters’ in eSIM enablement, excelling in ability and execution.
• Kigen, VALID and RedTea Mobile were recognized as ‘Leaders’, while Eastcompeace, WORKZ and Oasis Smart SIM were seen as ‘Challengers’.

Seoul, Beijing, Boston, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi – February 22, 2024

G+D, Thales and Idemia have emerged as ‘Pacesetters’ in Counterpoint Research’s Global eSIM Enablement CORE (COmpetitive Ranking and Evaluation) report for 2023.

Senior Research Analyst Ankit Malhotra said, “The global eSIM landscape continued to expand rapidly in 2023, after reaching an inflection point in 2022. Close to half a billion eSIM-capable devices were shipped in 2023. Operator support for eSIM also continued to grow and now more than 350 operators globally support eSIM. Consumer eSIM devices showed maximum growth while the number of IoT-M2M devices (including automotive) with eSIM support remained stable as the industry awaits implementation of SGP.31/32 standards.”

Malhotra added, “We have analyzed and evaluated key companies in the eSIM value chain using our proprietary CORE framework, which maps active players according to their capabilities and success in execution. The ‘capability’ parameter covers criteria such as firmware, compliance, interoperability and supply chain prowess, while the ‘ecosystem’ parameter covers geographical reach, partnerships and market share.”

Commenting on the research findings, Associate Director Mohit Agarwal said, “G+D, Thales and Idemia have emerged as pacesetters in our eSIM enablement rankings. The pacesetters have better all-round capabilities and lead in terms of execution, helping them achieve significant market share compared to others. G+D led the way in terms of consumer shipments, with its solution seen in Apple’s iPhones, including the eSIM-only iPhone 14 and 15. Thales led the shipments in the automotive space while no significant difference was seen among the pacesetters in the IoT/M2M space.”

Kigen, VALID and RedTea Mobile have been named as ‘Leaders’ as, along with great platform capabilities, they have managed to pull ahead of others in terms of execution in the marketplace. Kigen, one of the fastest-growing leaders, stood out for its iSIM solution and expertise in the IoT market. It is now augmenting its portfolio with consumer solutions as well. VALID, one of the incumbents, is also moving quickly and growing fast in consumer and automotive categories.

Eastcompeace, WORKZ and Oasis Smart SIM emerged as ‘Challengers’. Eastcompeace and WORKZ were the most improved players in 2023. Oasis Smart SIM is well-positioned with a strong platform and is expected to move strongly after the acquisition by TATA Communications. These players have excellent features and capabilities and as they grow their market presence, they are likely to graduate to ‘Leaders’ of tomorrow as the market for eSIM devices continues to grow.

Counterpoint Research’s Global eSIM Landscape report is the most comprehensive report on the topic and covers all the leading players in the ecosystem with multiple interviews and research spanning more than three months.

The comprehensive and in-depth ‘Global eSIM Landscape Report, 2023’ is available for subscribing clients. Please contact Counterpoint Research to gain access to the report. 

Background

Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.

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