In the modern world of eSIMs, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of a postage-stamp-sized piece of tech to use your phone, but there is one glaring downside: if you break your phone, transferring the eSIM from the broken device to your new one leaves you at the whims of your carrier. A new update to Google Play Services suggests an alternative might be on the way in the form of eSIM backup as part of the Google One subscription.
Android Authority dug into Google Play Services v25.16.33, the latest beta version, and found references that suggested a SIM data backup. You can pretty safely rule out physical SIM cards here, since those aren’t affected by data wipes. That leaves only eSIMs, and it would certainly make it easier to transition from one phone to another.
While it’s important to remember that code found in beta versions doesn’t guarantee a feature, it does suggest it’s something the developer is working on. In this instance, further proof can be found in another update from March in which Google mentioned SIM backups, too.
The ability to back up an eSIM would come in handy if you break your phone or you want to transfer everything to a new device without relying on your carrier (assuming you’re allowed to do that), but it’s likely to remain a somewhat niche use case. If you need to factory reset your phone, Android devices give you the option to keep eSIM data. All you would need to do in that case is restore your data from the cloud.
On the other hand, phone theft is a common problem, and if you’re already performing frequent backups, you could disable the stolen device and activate a new one with all of your preferred settings much more quickly. The feature could be beneficial, but there’s no guarantee of when or even if it will see an official release.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.