New Nano-SIM Standard Approved, 40% Smaller Than Micro-SIM

[danahn17]

1) Most people never take it out.
2) It's free from your carrier if you do lose it.

Sounds like a non-issue to me.

I believe some carriers charge to replace the SIM card... (it's not expensive though).

At any rate, I can't believe I read an article that pretty much said a new standard was adopted but we don't know if it was Apple's or the competition's proposal that won

 

[slightly]

So anyone think the nano SIM will be in the new iPhone??

Also, is it just me or does that nano SIM look smaller than just "40% smaller than micro SIM"? I would have guessed 60-70% smaller....

Because the press release probably meant "40% as small as" not "40% smaller than".

Just as "33% smaller" doesn't mean the new item is one-third the size of the original.

Matt

 

[thefourthpope]

Kind of ironic when the next-generation iPhone is rumored to be taller. The saving in space can help keep phones thin but thinner phones can interfere with camera quality. Each phone manufacturer has to find the right balance among size, quality, and features.

And overall usability. I'm not sure how much thinner a phone can get before you can't really hold it. But I'm all for freeing up that space for some more bells and whistles. Or just a bigger battery.

 

[charlituna]

I go frequently to France and Italy so I have 3 SIM's, this two and the Spanish one.

So yes, the smaller the SIM the easier is losing it

Don't worry I'm sure within 5 minutes of the design being released to the word there will be ten folks on Kickstarter with their SIM carrying case ideas just for folks like you. Something to hold those sims when you don't need them, but big enough you can't lose it.

Like an SD card plastic card but with cutouts that are SIM sized.

 

[ericrwalker]

Like the one I posted in post number 45.

Don't worry I'm sure within 5 minutes of the design being released to the word there will be ten folks on Kickstarter with their SIM carrying case ideas just for folks like you. Something to hold those sims when you don't need them, but big enough you can't lose it.

Like an SD card plastic card but with cutouts that are SIM sized.

 

[charlituna]

if a smaller sim card will enable bigger longer lasting batteries,

Probably not directly. But a smaller card reduces footprint for that part of the device opening that space up to more antenna for greater compatibility and yes perhaps more battery.

As for the how small can it get. They can dump them and go for a software based sim.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I love that show, I wish they still played the re-runs.

They show all the time. At least on my cable...

Because the press release probably meant "40% as small as" not "40% smaller than".

Just as "33% smaller" doesn't mean the new item is one-third the size of the original.

Matt

Yeah that might be what they meant.

 

[chrmjenkins]

I believe some carriers charge to replace the SIM card... (it's not expensive though).

At any rate, I can't believe I read an article that pretty much said a new standard was adopted but we don't know if it was Apple's or the competition's proposal that won

The article said there was only a small difference at this point - a small notch in the side for the push-push spring action of inserting and removing. Apple will likely still use the tray for aesthetic reasons so its inconsequential to them.

 

[bruinsrme]

This has just eliminated any indecision I had about upgrading

 

[DJJAZZYJET]

Never touch the gold chip. Oh wait, its impossible not to now.

 

[Kyllle]

Don't think they would have time to implement this into the new iphone, especially if it ends up coming out this summer.
Athough it doesn't really matter to me, I have Verizon, so no sims.

 

[ericrwalker]

They show all the time. At least on my cable...

I used to see re-runs on two channels a couple of years ago, then suddenly they stopped...or maybe they are on at different times when I am not watching TV.

 

[charlituna]

So can a Micro-SIM be cut down to a Nano-SIM, or is my iPhone rotation plan* screwed?

*Every year I get the new iPhone while my wife gets the one I've been using since last year. We have two contracts, last year mine was up. Assuming that this year's iPhone uses the nano-SIM, they won't give me a nano-SIM for a phone that my wife should be using...

Unless you are trying to cheat the system somehow like using a non iPhone sim to avoid a data charge they shouldn't have an issue with giving you a card. They might charge you for it but hey what's $10 over buying her a whole new phone. But if she's already in an iPhone when you give her yours just put her sim in it. You might have to cut it down if she's in a 3gs not a 4 series (assuming that's what you are using) or again go to the carrier for a new card.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

The slim obsession has always annoyed me.

At some point, things get too slim and I feel like they're going to fall apart in my nerdy little hands (I wonder what people with bigger hands think?)

phones, iPods, girls... Things are getting slim to the point I don't want to touch them for fear I'll deform them if I do. (GC disks... I can't think of anything else getting too slim although I'm sure there are others.)

 

[akbarali.ch]

Anything about macs.....

iPhone is still good 5 months away, Macs are about to release, yet no leaks on macs. World doesn't seems to care about macs anymore.
Drop some goodies about iMac please.

 

[charlituna]

SIM itself is a technology to lock a user to a network since it is technologically possible to have simless devices.

Actually no it isn't. Simless devices are actually more locked to the original system because you can adopt an ID system that is just for your carrier protocol.

IMEIs can be used in any GSM based system same with ICCIDs. What locks the device to the carrier is the firmware which can be rewritten if one wants to do so. Case in point. All the locked to ATT iPhones that have been unlocked to work on T-Mobile, Simple Mobile etc. there's a risk of bricking your phone if anything gets corrupted etc. And yes you lose all rights to even buy service from Apple due to the T&C for the iPhone which you or the buyer agreed to, blah blah. But it can be done. Or you go and buy a full price iPhone that is activated sans the locking firmware and you get the choice of carrier you want for basically most of the world (you might not get 3g on all of them but voice should be fine) AND official tech support since it was Apple that unlocked the phone

----------

Also, I assume Apple wants a tray as it looks cleaner than having an open slot on the side and being able to see the SIM card.

Apple will stick to their tray because as you say, cleaner looking and cleaner for the card (no open space for water or dust). they don't want folks having to go into the phone to get to the sim cause they can get to more which is the main reason for the outer tray

----------

Why don't we just get phones implanted in our brains? Just think of you want to call and it does.

implantation not likely but there could come a day when those dorky google glasses type thing are the phone. Data projected to small sizes in front of your eyes, voice command for dialing etc, sound in a small ear bud attached to the frame

when we get to that point we'll probably be back to using phones just as phones and our tablets will be our internet. Or the two might be connected and the tablet is the phone with a secured blue tooth connection to your glasses.

I wouldn't mind it that much. So long as the glasses can also function as my sunglasses, they aren't really way heavier than regular glasses and they aren't shooting laser images or such on my eyeballs. Nor are they flashing data on the screens all the time but only when I ask for it.

 

[BvizioN]

Just put your sim cards in an envelope, small ring box or something. Seems simple.

I put my micro sim in a tiny pocket of my wallet when i go abroad. I have 3 micro sims and never lost one.

 

[tigres]

PCworld is reporting that Apples original design is the one being implemented.

Link

 

[bruinsrme]

The slim obsession has always annoyed me.

At some point, things get too slim and I feel like they're going to fall apart in my nerdy little hands (I wonder what people with bigger hands think?)

phones, iPods, girls... Things are getting slim to the point I don't want to touch them for fear I'll deform them if I do. (GC disks... I can't think of anything else getting too slim although I'm sure there are others.)

When we shopped for cameras we discovered many cameras would fit nicely in a pocket or small case. However, handling the smaller cameras was awkward. We ended up with a larger heavier point and shoot

 

[charlituna]

iPhone is still good 5 months away, Macs are about to release, yet no leaks on macs. World doesn't seems to care about macs anymore.

Windows has 90% if not more of the market share when it comes to computers. but tons of those folks use iPhones and iPads. So sites like this can still get page hits off those Windows users for their iOS related articles. And hits drive what you see, make no mistake about that. So they are going to chase what gets them hits and thus money.

 

[kalsta]

if both proposals were the exact same internal dimensions and the only difference was the slot, it seems like it'd be just as easy to include the slot for manufacturers that want to use push-push mechanisms while still maintaining compatibility for those that don't.

completely defeats the purpose of collaborating on the issue in the first place. if you can't switch a SIM between phones, or be able to produce one kind of card that fits in all phones, then there might as well just be phone/carrier/manufacturer specific SIM designs...

I think you might want to read his comment again. He seemed to be suggesting that going with the notched design as standard would suit everyone.

 

[DakotaGuy]

LOL. Yeah, or it will permanently scar your lung tissue like fiberglass.

Will you need tweezers and a microscope to install it?

Seriously tho...if a smaller sim card will enable bigger longer lasting batteries, i am all for it. Otherwise, how thin do you really want a phone to get? At a certain point it becomes too thin dont ya think? I mean, you want SOME heft to a phone right?

Could this "nano" sim design make its way into the iphone 5? Or too soon?

Unless battery design makes a huge leap I don't think we are going to be seeing wafer thin phones anytime soon unless you want to walk around with a charger.

 

[BFizzzle]

I go frequently to France and Italy so I have 3 SIM's, this two and the Spanish one.

So yes, the smaller the SIM the easier is losing it

buuuuuurrrn



i dont see how this is too usefull, phones arent getting smaller in length, its width. I mean yeah this will help a little bit, but nothing special.

 

[shawnce]

/me dreams of having a software based "sim" functionality... why do I need a little physical thing when I could simply in software swap between providers I have contracts with...

 

[Seppentoni]

Why do SIM cards still exist? Whats the purpose of these pieces?
Why not abandon these useless technology and go software side. So you could have several numbers saved on your phone (eg. one for country1 one for country2) or a buisness and a private phone number. That would bee cool.