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European Carriers Stockpiling Nano-SIMs Ahead of Expected Upcoming iPhone Launch

Monday July 16, 2012 2:09 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
Following the selection of Apple's proposed design as the new nano-SIM standard last month, Financial Times reports that European carriers have begun stockpiling the new nano-SIMs in expectation that Apple's next-generation iPhone will be launching using the new standard in the coming months.
Operators expect that the iPhone will feature the nano sim in a slimmed down design, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation, and have begun to store millions of the cards in warehouses in anticipation of high demand for Apple’s iPhone. Apple declined to comment.

Operators were caught off guard by the adoption of the micro Sim for the iPhone 4 as well as the original iPad two years ago, with some struggling to meet demand with their own micro-Sims in the first weeks of sale.

One informed person said that the major networks were keen to be ahead of demand this time, however. He added that the iPhone 5 was likely to be similar sized as the iPhone 4 although slimmer and with a fully metal body.

Apple's nano-SIM design next to current micro-SIM (Source: The Verge)

Back in May, however, one iPhone parts vendor posted what was said to be the SIM tray for the next-generation iPhone, with the part appearing nearly identical to the micro-SIM tray found in the iPhone 4S. If that part is genuine, it would appear that Apple has either chosen to continue using the micro-SIM standard or has quickly changed course with the ratification of the nano-SIM standard to embrace the smaller design.

Tag: ft.com
[ 47 comments ]


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macse30
88 months ago
Nano my arse. That's the biggest 1MB memory card in production.
Rating: 22 Votes
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SilianRail
88 months ago
Looks like the nano SIM basically just eliminated the plastic edges around the metal part, why didn't they do that to begin with?
Rating: 19 Votes
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bushido
88 months ago
so my cousin got a new samsung the other day and i got so used to microsim that i broke the sim out of the bigger plastic thingy only to find out that it wouldnt fit anymore ... tried it anyway and then the sim was stuck in her phone. needless to say my cousin was about to kill me :D
Rating: 7 Votes
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AustinIllini
88 months ago
News Flash: There are nano-sims. Could be for iPhone, might not be though.
Rating: 6 Votes
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CyBeRino
88 months ago

How about Apple supplies the SIM? Then, you just have to register it with the provider.


Won't have the right codes.

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Can anyone explain why we actually have sim cards rather than some kind of internal chip? Would it not be easier to have a built in chip which just gets registered with whatever carrier you go with?


Because Verizon and Sprint do that and they have proven again and again how it is a TERRIBLE idea.
Rating: 6 Votes
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neiltc13
88 months ago
Like mini-DVI, mini-displayport and micro SIM you can always rely on Apple to make stuff redundant after very, very little time.

iMac G5 with iSight Camera? NO here have some Intel iMac a few months later.

And to think there are kids growing up today that will never see a Firewire cable.
Rating: 5 Votes
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MRU
88 months ago
Nano sim with large reinforced sim tray which combined equal size of normal sim... ;) almost an oxymoron of design :)
Rating: 5 Votes
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blacktape242
88 months ago

Looks like the nano SIM basically just eliminated the plastic edges around the metal part, why didn't they do that to begin with?


i was thinking the same thing.....
Rating: 4 Votes
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goobot
88 months ago
Micro-sim hasn't even been fully adopted and we are already going to nano-sim...
Rating: 4 Votes
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petrucci666
88 months ago

is this just a ploy to stop people cutting down regular sized sims to fit so that they can charge much more for 'iPhone' price plans...?


To some extent maybe, but I believe it's more Apple trying to make more room for other components, like the battery for example. Not too much space, but inside an iPhone, a millimeter is like a mile in the real world.
Rating: 4 Votes

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