What is a Secure Element and what can it do to improve security and connectivity in the mobile industry?

A Secure Element (SE) is an electronic component, hardware, that hosts applications safely and stores sensitive data inside the user’s device. It acts as a vault for the information and applications. It is essentially a microprocessor-based platform that cannot be violated.

An example of Secure Elements are the SIM cards, in all its form factors such as SIMs, embedded SIMs (eSIMs), machine-to-machine (M2M) SIMs, and many more. They are responsible for the connectivity and security of your device – creating the connection between the operator network, store personal information, protect the applications, and boost the value-added services offered by MNOs.

In 2019, the sales of smartphones with an embedded secure element (eSE) grew 39% YoY, according to a Counterpoint IoT Security Services study. eSIMS already account for one third of mobile phone sales worldwide.

With the increase of hacker threats and the advance of connected devices, Secure Elements such as eSIMs became the best solution for end-to-end security. The chipset can guarantee a tamper-proof solution, remote access for major device updates, and always-on connectivity.

M2M cellular connections are set to reach 1.6 billion in 2024, a 156% growth in the next 5 years, powering M2M services such as smart cities, smart metering, connected cars, and even smart agriculture through SIM and eSIM technology.