Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are the first phones to support eSIM for Project Fi users

The new Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones will have a lot of cool features, and one of them has never been available on any smartphone before now. It’s a new SIM technology called eSIM, and it will likely be the first of a new wave of phones that will change the way you switch from one wireless carrier to another.

Simply put, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL will have an embedded SIM that does not need to be removed physically from the phone. Instead, if you wanted to switch from one carrier to another, the eSIM will allow you to do that with just a few taps on the screen. In theory, you won’t need to buy a physical SIM card and put it inside the phone. This kind of technology could be very useful for people who travel a lot and don’t want to fool around with buying a SIM card if they leave the country.

Unfortunately, Google is taking baby steps with the eSIM tech in the Pixel and Pixel 2. At the moment, it’s only available for people who purchase the phone via the Google Store or Project Fi and want to use it with Google’s own mobile network. Both phones also still have a nanoSIM slot if you want to switch from, say, Verizon to T-Mobile. Google says it will share what it learns from this small adoption of eSIM with its many partners in order to encourage the adoption of this hardware by more phones and carriers.

How do you feel about the first use of eSIM in a smartphone? Do you want this hardware to be in more phones in the future. Let us know how you feel in the comments!