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Carriers Reportedly Testing Nano-SIMs for Apple Ahead of Next-Generation iPhone Launch

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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30,784



Following a report earlier this week claiming that European carriers have been stockpiling new nano-SIM cards in expectation of Apple using the smaller card in the next-generation iPhone, BGR now reports that carriers are indeed testing the new cards in partnership with Apple.
Multiple carrier sources have exclusively told BGR that Apple is supplying nano-SIM adapters so its carrier partners can test how nano-SIMs work on their networks in standard test devices before they are widely deployed when the new iPhone is introduced. This includes AT&T.
Click to expand...
gi_de_nano_sim.jpg



SIM card form factors with nano-SIM at left (Source: Giesecke & Devrient)​
As we noted in the our report earlier this week, a part leak back in early May suggested that Apple would continue to use micro-SIMs in the next-generation iPhone, but with the new nano-SIM standard backed by Apple having been approved last month the company may already be pushing forward to adopt it as a space-saving measure.

Article Link: Carriers Reportedly Testing Nano-SIMs for Apple Ahead of Next-Generation iPhone Launch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/07/19/carriers-reportedly-testing-nano-sims-for-apple-ahead-of-next-generation-iphone-launch/
T

ThatsMeRight

macrumors 68020
Sep 12, 2009
2,290
251
If Apple is supplying the nano-sim adapters, than I believe they'll adopt nano-SIMs in the next-generation iPhone (and perhaps in a 3G/4G 7.85"-iPad). :)
 
Mad-B-One

Mad-B-One

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2011
789
5
San Antonio, Texas
I suspected they would use a cascading card like the one in the picture. So, the stockpiling is just making sure that they have enough SIM regardless which phone will be bought. Since it is going towards Chrismas sales in that quater, it would be foolish to believe that the stockpile is only for the iPhone update. The above system would basically fit in all GSM, right?
 
lifeinhd

lifeinhd

macrumors 65816
Mar 26, 2008
1,428
58
127.0.0.1
I understand the need for testing, but isn't a nano SIM just a micro SIM that's been literally cut down? So what exactly is the need for so many carriers to test it as though it's a brand new card?
 
Nahaz

Nahaz

macrumors 6502
Jun 2, 2010
311
35
Australia
I said this in a previous post that if you look closely at the nano SIM the gold contacts are close to the sides.

I'm guessing they might be looking at the nano SIM holder and whether it's causing the SIM to short out on the body of the phone. This could also be the case for other phone companies as well.
 
Apple Key

Apple Key

macrumors 6502a
Jan 4, 2012
561
0
It makes sense to remove all the unnecessary plastic around it. Eventually all cell phone makers will benefit from the smaller size.

I wonder what actually needs testing though.
 
Diode

Diode

macrumors 68020
Apr 15, 2004
2,443
125
Washington DC
Apple Key said:
It makes sense to remove all the unnecessary plastic around it. Eventually all cell phone makers will benefit from the smaller size.

I wonder what actually needs testing though.
Click to expand...

It's standard practice when you introduce anything new into a system.

It's a newly manufactured and designed device - anything could go wrong from a design flaw to a manufacturing defect.
 
C

cvaldes

macrumors 68040
Dec 14, 2006
3,237
0
somewhere else
appleguy123 said:
Why does it need to be tested? Isn't it exactly the same as a microsim with less plastic?
Click to expand...
It's a rumor from BGR.

They're about as accurate and credible as Digitimes. Which means the rumor is likely wrong.

MacRumors is loathe to admit the credibility track record of its sources. They'd rather just have the page views without making any indication about the possible veracity of their sources.

Just read MacRumors as if it were science fiction. Most of the rumors here end up being false, so you should expect this site to be much more fiction than fact.
 
R

rmwebs

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2007
3,140
0
ThatsMeRight said:
If Apple is supplying the nano-sim adapters, than I believe they'll adopt nano-SIMs in the next-generation iPhone (and perhaps in a 3G/4G 7.85"-iPad). :)
Click to expand...

I assume you mean Nano-Sim to Micro-Sim adaptors as it's obviously not possible to adapt the other way. Why would Apple need to provide such an adaptor though?
 
Simplicated

Simplicated

macrumors 65816
Sep 20, 2008
1,422
254
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
cvaldes said:
It's a rumor from BGR.

They're about as accurate and credible as Digitimes. Which means the rumor is likely wrong.

MacRumors is loathe to admit the credibility track record of its sources. They'd rather just have the page views without making any indication about the possible veracity of their sources.

Just read MacRumors as if it were science fiction. Most of the rumors here end up being false, so you should expect this site to be much more fiction than fact.
Click to expand...

I should start reading MacFacts :D
 
G

goosnarrggh

macrumors 68000
May 16, 2006
1,602
20
Do they really need to keep delivering the original, full-sized Smart Card form factor? How many phones based on that card layout are still in the wild at this point?

Couldn't they save a whole lot of waste plastic if they only mass-produced punch-outs for the form factors that are still widely used?
 
B

Born Again

Suspended
May 12, 2011
4,073
5,325
Norcal
how exiting .. not!


why not get rid of the sim all together?

the damn cable companies and telephone companies are just too evil
 
A

amorya

macrumors 6502
Jun 17, 2007
252
7
Radio said:
how exiting .. not!


why not get rid of the sim all together?

the damn cable companies and telephone companies are just too evil
Click to expand...

A SIM card is great for consumers.

It means that if you buy a phone outright, a carrier can have no say about whether you can use it on their network —*just put your SIM card in it and it works.

If SIM cards didn't exist, you wouldn't be able to do that, or borrow a friend's phone when your battery is low, or use a foreign network when you're abroad to avoid huge bills, unless you phoned your carrier each time and got their permission.
 
J

JHankwitz

macrumors 68000
Oct 31, 2005
1,911
58
Wisconsin
lifeinhd said:
I understand the need for testing, but isn't a nano SIM just a micro SIM that's been literally cut down?
Click to expand...

If life were only that easy. I'm sure you know that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Better safe than sorry, and have everyone double check to minimize problems.
 
chrmjenkins

chrmjenkins

macrumors 603
Oct 29, 2007
5,325
158
MD
lifeinhd said:
I understand the need for testing, but isn't a nano SIM just a micro SIM that's been literally cut down? So what exactly is the need for so many carriers to test it as though it's a brand new card?
Click to expand...

No, or at least, not necessarily.

Look at this image (actually from a macrumors story)

nanosim-500x375.jpg


The contacts are different. Also, the mechanics are different. You have to make sure the trays operate properly, the cards don't get damaged, aren't prone to losing electrical contact because this one is thinner and getting errant "no SIM" messages (some customers have experienced this before on previous iPhones), etc.
 
Mad-B-One

Mad-B-One

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2011
789
5
San Antonio, Texas
goosnarrggh said:
Do they really need to keep delivering the original, full-sized Smart Card form factor? How many phones based on that card layout are still in the wild at this point?

Couldn't they save a whole lot of waste plastic if they only mass-produced punch-outs for the form factors that are still widely used?
Click to expand...

This is just to print all the information on it. Some carriers probably have docking stations for that one as well - plug it in and you can copy contacts on it and so on before you crack it into pieces.

Also: Not everyone has such a good eye sight that they can read all the stuff on the back of the nano SIM.
 
david803sc

david803sc

macrumors member
Jul 11, 2008
56
0
Lake Wylie, SC
Does anyone know if there are any Sim Card Collectors out there? :) with all this buzz about the new Apple Nano-Sim Cards, it just got me to thinking I have two original Sim Cards from the now defunct Omnipoint in New York City, these are the full credit card sized from the 1990's, I had to slide the entire card into the phone, one card has a picture of the statue of liberty and one has the WTC, I will have to scan them in and add them to my post. This is a great way to show how technology is changing and getting smaller!
 
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