Apple Still Fighting for Smaller SIM Card Standard for Future iPhones
Current micro-SIM (bottom right) punched out of a mini-size SIM card (top right)
The
Financial Times reports that Apple is up against rival smartphone makers over the next industry standard for miniaturized SIM cards. (via
Engadget).
In May 2011, we reported that Apple had submitted a proposal for a standardized SIM Card design smaller than the micro-SIM currently used in the iPhone 4S and iPad. A smaller SIM card design would allow Apple to create smaller and thinner devices.
Other companies including Motorola, Research in Motion, and Nokia are pushing their own standards for these so-called "nano-SIM" cards.
Micro-Sims are already common in the latest generation of smart devices, such as Apple’s iPhone 4S and Nokia’s Lumia. The nano-Sim is thinner and about a third smaller than the micro-Sim, and would allow more space for other functions.
Apple is said to be already backed by "most of the European operators". Apple has reportedly taken some controversial steps to gain more votes in the final decision on proposals next week.
One of Nokia's objections to Apple's proposal is the use of a "drawer" to protect the nano-SIM card. The drawer design is seen on the iPhone 4S and iPad, allowing the user to eject the SIM from the side of the device.
Popular Stories
Apple released iOS 16.3 in late January following nearly six weeks of beta testing. The software update is available for the iPhone 8 and newer, and while it is a relatively minor update, it still includes a handful of new features, changes, and bug fixes.
Below, we've recapped new features in iOS 16.3, including support for physical security keys as a two-factor authentication option for...
Apple today released updated firmware for the MagSafe Duo charger that is designed to work with the Apple Watch and MagSafe-compatible iPhone models. The new firmware is version 10M3063, but in the settings app, you'll see a 256.1067.0 version number, up from 186.0.0.0.
The MagSafe Duo was first released in 2020 alongside the iPhone 12 models, and it has not had a firmware update before....
Chinese smartphone company OnePlus today announced the official debut of the OnePlus 11 5G, which is the company's latest flagship smartphone. The device was already announced in China, but today marks the global launch so we thought we'd compare the OnePlus 11 5G to the iPhone 14 Pro Max to see how the camera measures up.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple's...
Apple today released new tvOS 16.3.1 and HomePod 16.3.1 software updates, with the software coming two weeks after the tvOS 16.3 and HomePod 16.3 updates were released.
According to Apple's release notes for HomePod software 16.3.1, the update includes general performance and stability improvements. Notes for tvOS 16.3.1 are unavailable as of yet, but are probably similar to the HomePod...
The iPhone 15 Pro models will feature a "buttonless design" thanks to additional Taptic Engines, according to multiple corroborated reports, so what do we know about the change so far?
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was first to report that the volume and power buttons on this year's two high-end iPhone models will adopt a solid-state design, similar to the iPhone 7's home button, replacing a...
Apple has discussed selling a new top-of-the-line iPhone alongside the Pro and Pro Max models in 2024 at the earliest, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this timeframe, the device would be part of the iPhone 16 lineup or later.
In a September 2022 edition of his weekly "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said there was "potential" for an iPhone 15 Ultra to replace the iPhone 15 Pro...
Apple has reportedly considered releasing a new top-of-the-line iPhone alongside future Pro and Pro Max models, tentatively referred to as "iPhone Ultra," and one designer has taken it upon himself to envision what such a device could potentially look like.
German industrial designer Jonas Daehnert came up with this impressive-looking concept (pictured) by marrying design elements of the...
Apple usually releases a new entry-level iPad every year, but the current lineup and rumors for 2023 may indicate that this will be the first year when the company breaks this convention.
When Apple introduced the 10th-generation iPad last year, it added the device to the lineup above the ninth-generation model from 2021. As a result, Apple currently sells both the ninth- and 10th-generation ...
Top Rated Comments
Apple apparently proposed this (eSIM), but carriers said no.
arn
Where does it say that Apple wants it patented? I didn't see that in the article.
Yep, that's what i was thinking of, alas I can still hope....
Have you looked inside of an iPhone? Do you see how tightly packed everything is?
Even the a space of .0001 cms makes a huge difference to the designers and engineers. As technology progress's things are going to become smaller, what the point of making something sleeker and give it more funcinality if you have something as simple as a card size holding you back.
If anything this should have been done a long time ago, most of the sim card is a waste of space. The only part that is require is the golden part on the card. So why include the other useless plastic? For fun?