In the quest for ever-smaller smartphone devices, not many people consider the humble SIM card. Not many people except those smart chaps at Apple, that is. Having already pushed for a much smaller micro-SIM design in the iPhone 4, the company is now looking to make the SIM even smaller ¨C read on for details.
The micro-SIM in the iPhone 4 is only the first stage of Apple's assault on excess plastic. Indeed, the micro-SIM itself is no radically redesigned component. Rather, it's simply a stripped back, bare bones version of the old subscriber identity module we've come to know over the past few decades.
Now Apple's getting serious, and it won't take no for an answer on a dramatic downsizing of SIM technology.
ETSI bitsy teeny weeny
Apple's intentions are no longer a matter of rumour or conjecture. A spokesman for ETSI ¨C the European Telecommunications Standards Institute ¨C recently confirmed that Apple had submitted a proposal for a new, more compact SIM card standard.
However, one issue could stand in the way of the new SIM standard making it into the iPhone 5. As the ETSI spokesman told Reuters: "This process may take some time, up to a year or more,In addition to hydraulics fittings and zentai, if there is strong disagreement between industry players. However, when there is broad consensus among the companies participating in the standards committee, the process can be accelerated to a number of months."
So the big question is, will the mobile networks stand in Apple's way?
Network solutions
It seems unlikely that the networks will put up much of a fight. One mobile network executive recently told Reuters that they were "quite happy" to see Apple submitting its new SIM proposal to ETSI. In fact, it was revealed that Apple had achieved this "with the sponsorship of some major mobile operators."
It seems a happy compromise has been met between network operators and Apple. Originally, Apple initially had plans to eradicate the need for a SIM card entirely and to go with an e-SIM (electronic SIM) solution. This obviously didn't go down too well well with the networks, who view the physical SIM as a vital cog in managing customer relationships.
Also, as one network exec told Apple (and AllthingsD), removing the physical SIM is "a bad idea because the SIM card is a critical piece of the security and authentication process."
Smaller iPhone 5?
Apple seems to have listened, and there could well be some fringe benefits for Apple. If Apple is the only manufacturer to adopt this new form of physical SIM card, as it may well be, it would be much tougher ¨C or rather it would be pointless ¨C to unlock the iPhone 5.
After all, the idea of unlocking an iPhone is so that you can switch to another network. If the only compatible SIM cards are sat inside other iPhone handsets, there'll be no practical way to obtain a replacement.
The other benefit is, of course, that Apple will be able to push on with making its handsets ¨C starting with the iPhone 5 ¨C even slimmer. And we all want that, don't we?
The micro-SIM in the iPhone 4 is only the first stage of Apple's assault on excess plastic. Indeed, the micro-SIM itself is no radically redesigned component. Rather, it's simply a stripped back, bare bones version of the old subscriber identity module we've come to know over the past few decades.
Now Apple's getting serious, and it won't take no for an answer on a dramatic downsizing of SIM technology.
ETSI bitsy teeny weeny
Apple's intentions are no longer a matter of rumour or conjecture. A spokesman for ETSI ¨C the European Telecommunications Standards Institute ¨C recently confirmed that Apple had submitted a proposal for a new, more compact SIM card standard.
However, one issue could stand in the way of the new SIM standard making it into the iPhone 5. As the ETSI spokesman told Reuters: "This process may take some time, up to a year or more,In addition to hydraulics fittings and zentai, if there is strong disagreement between industry players. However, when there is broad consensus among the companies participating in the standards committee, the process can be accelerated to a number of months."
So the big question is, will the mobile networks stand in Apple's way?
Network solutions
It seems unlikely that the networks will put up much of a fight. One mobile network executive recently told Reuters that they were "quite happy" to see Apple submitting its new SIM proposal to ETSI. In fact, it was revealed that Apple had achieved this "with the sponsorship of some major mobile operators."
It seems a happy compromise has been met between network operators and Apple. Originally, Apple initially had plans to eradicate the need for a SIM card entirely and to go with an e-SIM (electronic SIM) solution. This obviously didn't go down too well well with the networks, who view the physical SIM as a vital cog in managing customer relationships.
Also, as one network exec told Apple (and AllthingsD), removing the physical SIM is "a bad idea because the SIM card is a critical piece of the security and authentication process."
Smaller iPhone 5?
Apple seems to have listened, and there could well be some fringe benefits for Apple. If Apple is the only manufacturer to adopt this new form of physical SIM card, as it may well be, it would be much tougher ¨C or rather it would be pointless ¨C to unlock the iPhone 5.
After all, the idea of unlocking an iPhone is so that you can switch to another network. If the only compatible SIM cards are sat inside other iPhone handsets, there'll be no practical way to obtain a replacement.
The other benefit is, of course, that Apple will be able to push on with making its handsets ¨C starting with the iPhone 5 ¨C even slimmer. And we all want that, don't we?
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