Gemalto, Qualcomm Team Up On eSIM PCs

“The collaboration between Gemalto and Qualcomm will see the technology integrated into the Snapdragon mobile PC platform’s Secure Processing Unit.”

A big new partnership is poised to help along the proliferation of always-connected computer devices: Gemalto has announced that Qualcomm will incorporate its eSIM technology into its Snapdragon PC platform.

Still an emerging technology, eSIMs are essentially reprogrammable SIM cards. They don’t need to be physically removed from a device in order for mobile network subscription information to be changed. In a smartphone, that means the end user doesn’t have to actually take their phone into a store when switching carriers. But it also helps to open up applications for SIM cards in all kinds of new devices that have so far not enjoyed mobile network access, from laptops to smart cars.

The collaboration between Gemalto and Qualcomm will see the technology integrated into the Snapdragon mobile PC platform’s Secure Processing Unit. In a statement announcing the partnership, Gemalto said it “will provide seamless LTE and forthcoming 5G connection, extended battery life, and a foundation for consumer applications such as online payments, transport ticketing and authentication to cloud services.”

And it looks like this could just be the start of a more wide-ranging collaboration, with Mobile and IoT EVP Frédéric Vasnier explaining that the partnership will accelerate the adoption of cellular connectivity “in PCs, tablets and other mobile products,” adding, “We are committed to continued innovation with Qualcomm Technologies in order to provide superior built-in security and connectivity experiences.”

In the meantime, the first fruits of this partnership will emerge in the form of new PC products as early as next year, Gemalto says.