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iPad's GSM Micro Sim = No iPhone SIMs

M

modit

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 8, 2008
340
37
Canada
Can't believe how Apple is pushing this proprietary GSM micro sim. They're trying to stop people from just slapping their iPhone SIMs into the iPad.

Wow...could have been so much more. I'll bet they'll introduce iSight in the next revision along with a camera in the iPod touch.

Buy. Don't Buy. Buy. I'm Confused! :rolleyes:
 
modit said:
They're trying to stop people from just slapping their iPhone SIMs into the iPad.
Click to expand...
Kinda surprised this isn't getting more replies. Maybe it's being talked about in another thread. But the ability to use your iPhone SIM in the iPad would have been a huge bonus and incentive to get one. It's really obvious that they went with Micro SIM to stop people from doing just that (yeah there could have been technical/design reasons too, but I bet they could have had a regular SIM slot if they'd really wanted). Not that not having 3G is a deal-breaker for the iPad, really, especially if you already have an iPhone, but it would have been nice.
 
apfhex said:
Kinda surprised this isn't getting more replies. Maybe it's being talked about in another thread. But the ability to use your iPhone SIM in the iPad would have been a huge bonus and incentive to get one. It's really obvious that they went with Micro SIM to stop people from doing just that (yeah there could have been technical/design reasons too, but I bet they could have had a regular SIM slot if they'd really wanted). Not that not having 3G is a deal-breaker for the iPad, really, especially if you already have an iPhone, but it would have been nice.
Click to expand...

I read somewhere that a Micro SIM has the same connections as a regular SIM but without the extra plastic around it.
Would it be possible to cut down the iPhone SIM to use with the iPad and then use an adapter when putting it back in the iPhone?
I agree that the micro SIM choice was done for the reasons you suggest. The iPad obviously has room for a full size SIM.
 
They would have done it with the iphone too I am sure if it was not for the europeans.
 
So would it accept a normal size GSM sim card? If not they have obviously cut out a lot of customers... I dont know many carriers which offer MicroSIM. If not i will just have to trim down my sim card...
 
This was one of the first things I noticed. I can't imagine any other reason for doing this other than keeping smartphone users from hopping on AT&T's network with the iPad.
 
This is definitely one to watch. Either we'll see the whole market start to move to this format, or it'll be dropped in Rev B.

Don't think I'll be buying the Rev A if the widespread availability of micro SIMs doesn't materialise.
 
tys said:
I read somewhere that a Micro SIM has the same connections as a regular SIM but without the extra plastic around it.
Would it be possible to cut down the iPhone SIM to use with the iPad and then use an adapter when putting it back in the iPhone?
I agree that the micro SIM choice was done for the reasons you suggest. The iPad obviously has room for a full size SIM.
Click to expand...

i was thinking the same thing.
 
marksman said:
They would have done it with the iphone too I am sure if it was not for the europeans.
Click to expand...

I'm curious by this statement? I know of no European country that uses Micro SIMs??? In fact if you look at the article about Micro SIMs on Wikipedia, they list the only known device to use them at the current time as the iPad?
 
Why would you want to use an iPhone AT&T sim card? Can't be used for phone calls, so you'd be paying for a voice plan that will just carry over minutes . . .

Why put a webcam in a handheld device if you have to hold it like a mirror to get a good image?
 
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3GS: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

MTI said:
Why would you want to use an iPhone AT&T sim card? Can't be used for phone calls, so you'd be paying for a voice plan that will just carry over minutes . . .

Why put a webcam in a handheld device if you have to hold it like a mirror to get a good image?
Click to expand...

Well you could take your sim out of your phone the use data on the ipad when you need it.
 
MTI said:
When did Apple users become such cheapskates? :D
Click to expand...

well 30$ a month adds up ;)
MTI said:
Why would you want to use an iPhone AT&T sim card? Can't be used for phone calls, so you'd be paying for a voice plan that will just carry over minutes . . .

Why put a webcam in a handheld device if you have to hold it like a mirror to get a good image?
Click to expand...

cause when i have an iphone and occasionally when i just wana use the data on a ipad im going to pay 15$ a month?
 
MTI said:
$15 a month . . . $0.50 per day . . . shall I ask my intial question again? Cheapskates.
Click to expand...

yes but then a year with other expenses a penny can make a difference. then you add tax and other fees. my att bill is already 250 with this it will be 300.

50X12=600

no thx
 
modit said:
Can't believe how Apple is pushing this proprietary GSM micro sim. They're trying to stop people from just slapping their iPhone SIMs into the iPad.
Click to expand...


GSM Micro is NOT proprietary, it's a true standard. However, no U.S. company, other than ATT, has agreed to use it. Clever way to lock people in w/o locking them in, but just the same T-Mob could offer GSM Micro SIMs if they wanted, no prob.

Regardless, it would do you no good to stick your iPhone SIM in the iPad even if it accepted the more conventional size, i.e., it wouldn't get you 3G or phone service.
 
tys said:
I read somewhere that a Micro SIM has the same connections as a regular SIM but without the extra plastic around it.
Would it be possible to cut down the iPhone SIM to use with the iPad and then use an adapter when putting it back in the iPhone?
I agree that the micro SIM choice was done for the reasons you suggest. The iPad obviously has room for a full size SIM.
Click to expand...

This is akin to trying to say could trim the plastic off of an existing SDHC card to get a mini-SDHC one. It isn't merely "plastic" that are trimming off.

http://www.fonearena.com/blog/2010/01/28/what-is-a-microsim-or-3ff-sim-card.html

1. They SIM and MicroSIM/Mini-UICC/3FF are the same thickness. So it will be hard to "insert" the smaller in the larger because won't insert "into". Conceptually you'd have a cut-out. The other issue is that it is smaller in all dimensions except thickness. So the pins don't necessarily line directly up.

2. Format aimed at smaller "data modems" or other devices that are small. While the iPad isn't small it is definitely just leveraging it for a data only modem.

Back on the 7th (weeks before the iPad announcement), Tmobile said there was going to have these for another device. (perhaps they have a plan. ;-) While you only get EDGE on their network in the US... they do also have a national WiFi network. A national coverage WiFi + miniSIM plan would probably work for many if priced right. )

http://m2m.tmcnet.com/topics/m2mevo...lok8u-t-mobile-launch-micro-3ff-sim-cards.htm

For are producing new ones quickly.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2358489,00.asp
 
MTI said:
My bad on the math. When discussing the $15/mo rate plan, are you saying that with taxes it goes to $50? Or are you factoring an "unlimited" plan costing $50?
Click to expand...

yah unlimed since i use like 2 gigs just on my phone :rolleyes: then taxes and fees is almost 50 a month

any way i have a plan. if the next iphone has the new sim no prob. but if not ill just transfer my plan to the microsim and hope that a adapter for the iphone comes out for microsim
 
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