eSIM phones
Skip the SIM Swap and Go Digital With eSIM Phones at JB
Still hunting for a paperclip, lining up that tiny tray and hoping the SIM lands the right way? eSIM only phones skip the plastic SIM completely, so there is no card to lose, fumble or swap. Your mobile plan lives inside the phone as a digital eSIM, and you set it up in a few taps from the screen.
JB puts these smartphones in one easy-to-shop collection, so you can compare eSIM phones side by side. As Australia’s largest home entertainment and tech retailer, we have the biggest names in the game under one roof. Have a browse, weigh up your options and grab the one that suits how you use your phone.
What is an eSIM-only phone?
An eSIM-only phone is a mobile phone with no slot for a physical SIM card. Instead, it has an embedded SIM that lets you add and switch your plan straight from the phone’s Settings.
This eSIM technology isn't experimental territory. Many phones have carried it since 2018, and today the same eSIM capability runs beyond handsets. Apple builds eSIM-compatible devices across the cellular versions of the iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro, so you can connect digitally without ever popping a card in.
Which smartphones are eSIM-only in Australia?
Right now, Apple is the only brand that has released eSIM-only phones in Australia, specifically the iPhone Air and the iPhone Duo. Both have gone fully tray-free, with no SIM slot anywhere on the frame. You set up your plan digitally, and you’re good to go.
The iPhone Air is the tech giant’s slimmest and lightest iPhone yet, and dropping the tray is part of how it stays so thin. You still get the full iPhone experience, just without the physical SIM. It comes in a range of finishes, with storage from 256GB up to 1TB to match how much you carry.
The iPhone Duo brings the same all-digital setup to Apple’s foldable, landing as part of the iPhone 18 Series. Set up your plan in a few taps, and you can even store more than one eSIM to run two numbers on the same phone.
Do eSIM-compatible phones still take a physical SIM card?
Yes, most of them do. Only the iPhone Air and iPhone Duo go fully tray-free in Australia. Plenty of other eSIM-compatible phones support eSIM while keeping a good old physical SIM card, so you get both in one phone.
- The iPhone camp. Every other iPhone sold in Australia keeps its physical SIM tray alongside eSIM. That covers the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max, plus the iPhone 17, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14 and iPhone SE models. That reaches back through the iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone 11 and iPhone XS.
- Current Android flagships. The big names in Android phones all support eSIM and all hang onto the tray. We’re talking Samsung’s Galaxy S26, Galaxy S25, Galaxy S24, Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7, plus Google’s Pixel 11, Pixel 10 and Pixel 9 Series. Every one pairs a digital eSIM with a physical nano-SIM.
- Phones you might already own. eSIM support reaches back years, so the phone in your pocket probably already has it. That covers the Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S22, Galaxy Note 20 Ultra,Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, Z Fold4 and Z Flip4. Google’s Pixel 8, Pixel 7 and Pixel 6 have it, as do OPPO’s Find X5 Pro through to the Find X9 Pro and the foldable Find N2 Flip all the way to the Find N6.
Should you go eSIM-only or dual SIM?
Your call comes down to how you use your mobile plan. Running two numbers, or just want one clean digital setup? Going dual SIM juggles an eSIM and a physical card, while going eSIM only wipes the tray off the phone completely.
- Go eSIM only if you want a phone with no SIM tray for the cleanest setup. With one, you’re able to swap carriers and plans on the fly in Settings.
- Stick with dual SIM if you like a physical nano-SIM as backup, or you want to run two numbers with one on the tray. When you travel, you can just chuck a local SIM in.
Why Shop eSIM phones at JB
Aussies go to JB for eSIM phones because we’re the country’s leading retailer of anything tech and home entertainment. Our massive mobile phone collection covers Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones, plus heavy-hitters from Motorola, OPPO, HONOR and more. Just name your ecosystem, and we’ve got a handset for it.
- 205+ stores and in-store help. Walk into any JB store nationwide and talk to someone who actually knows the range. They’ll walk you through the options without the jargon.
The full picture in one place. Compare eSIM-only iPhones and eSIM-compatible Android phones side by side, so you land the right setup the first time. - Click and collect or delivery. Order online, and grab it from your nearest JB store or get it dropped at your door. Your call.
- Unlocked and outright. Travel eSIM sites sell you data and telcos tie a phone to a plan. JB hands you the phone itself, unlocked, so you choose your own carrier.
- Trade in your old phone. Bring your current handset in and put its value straight towards your new one.
- JB Perks. Sign up to be a JB Perks member, and the savings stack up. Members get deals and offers across the mobile phone range.
Lock In Your eSIM Phone at JB
Ditch the paperclip, and bin the tray-hunting ritual. eSIM phones make setting up a new phone quick and clean, and the range keeps growing. Whether you go fully tray-free or want a physical SIM as backup, there’s a phone here that fits how you use it.
Shop the full mobile phone range online or walk into your nearest JB store, and our team can talk you through the options if you want a hand. Pick your eSIM phone and walk out with a device that just works.
^Discounts apply to previous ticketed / advertised price prior to the discount offer. As we negotiate, products will likely have been sold below ticketed / advertised price prior to the discount offer. Prices may differ at airport stores.