TL;DR The Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL models sold in the US don’t have a physical nano-SIM slot.
Instead, the phones rely on dual eSIMs, with the option of storing over eight eSIM profiles.
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the only device in the lineup to retain the nano-SIM + eSIM combination.
Google’s new Pixel 10 lineup has made a rather bold connectivity choice. The Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL sold in the US won’t come with a physical SIM slot. This will make the new Pixels the first in Google’s history to ship without a nano-SIM slot, relying completely on eSIMs instead.
In the US, Google’s latest flagships will support two active eSIM profiles at the same time and can store eight or more eSIMs on the device. The only Pixel 10 device to still sport a nano-SIM slot and eSIM is the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
Outside the US, however, Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL buyers will still get the option of a single nano-SIM slot alongside eSIM support, a move that seems to account for varying carrier infrastructure and eSIM adoption rates around the world. So if you’re in the UK, India, Australia, Germany, Italy, France, or even Canada, you’ll get the nano-SIM + eSIM version of the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro XL.
While Google’s decision to ditch physical SIMs in the US for the Pixel 10 lineup can be viewed as the company embracing flexibility for frequent travelers and those juggling multiple lines, it could also prove problematic under certain situations.
A not so SIMple problem
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
On paper, eSIM-only phones make all the sense in the world. You don’t have to mess around with SIM trays or fiddle with ejector pins. There’s also no risk of losing the tiny SIM card. Moreover, switching carriers is a matter of minutes via a quick QR code scan or an app.
... continue reading