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What you need to know
- Samsung is reportedly developing a tool to make eSIM transfers from iPhones to Galaxy phones easier.
- The new One UI 8.5 feature will let users move eSIMs from iPhones without contacting their carrier.
- The tool is expected to support major U.S. carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile at launch.
A new leak suggests that Samsung is developing a tool that could make transferring eSIMs from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy smartphone much easier.
As much as we may resist it, we're clearly heading toward a future where eSIMs will be more common than physical SIM cards. Google has already switched to eSIM-only Pixel 10 models in the U.S., and it looks like Samsung could be preparing to do the same with the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.
While Apple and Google have made efforts to simplify eSIM transfers between their platforms with iOS 26 and Android 16, moving an eSIM from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy device in the U.S. still requires you to contact your carrier. According to a new report from Android Authority, Samsung is now working on a tool that will remove that hassle entirely.
The report claims that Samsung is developing a feature for One UI 8.5 that will let users transfer eSIMs from an iPhone to a Galaxy phone without involving their carrier. A screenshot shared by the publication shows that the current "Transfer SIM from another device" setup option will soon be split into two choices: Transfer SIM from Galaxy/Android and Transfer SIM from iPhone.
The eSIM transfer tool could launch with One UI 8.5
Selecting the second option should, as the name suggests, directly allow users to move their eSIM from an iPhone to a Samsung device. As the report points out, the existing iOS-to-Pixel eSIM transfer tool currently supports three major U.S. carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — and the publication expects Samsung's version to support the same networks at launch.
Samsung hasn't started beta testing One UI 8.5 yet, but it's already shaping up to be a major update for Galaxy devices. The update could bring features like automatic call screening similar to Pixel phones, as well as AI-generated notification summaries.
The company is expected to kick off the One UI 8.5 beta program next month, with a stable rollout likely to coincide with the launch of the Galaxy S26 series next year.
