Steve Jobs Wanted Original iPhone to Have No SIM Card Slot, Says Former iPod VP

[MacRumors]

Rumors have suggested Apple could soon release an iPhone without a physical SIM card slot, and it turns out that if that's accurate, Apple would be realizing Steve Jobs' vision for the original iPhone, according to former iPod VP Tony Fadell.

Fadell was recently interviewed by journalist Joanna Stern for a special event at the Computer History Museum to promote his new book Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making, and during the conversation Fadell revealed that Steve Jobs wanted the iPhone to be a seamless device that didn't include a SIM card slot.

Instead of relying on GSM cellular technology, Jobs was apparently more interested in using CDMA to connect iPhones to cell towers and cited Verizon's nascent use of the technology, which allows supporting phones to link directly to the carrier's network.

Fadell said he had to show Jobs market data to convince the former Apple CEO that CDMA adoption was too low for it to be a feasible option for the iPhone.

In fact, Apple did eventually release a SIM-less iPhone, but not until midway through the normal iPhone release cycle in January 2011, when it launched a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 for the Verizon network. The SIM card slot returned on the CDMA-equipped iPhone 4S, but the slot wasn't supported by Verizon.

Late last year, Brazilian website Blog do iPhone claimed that iPhone 15 Pro models might not have a physical SIM card slot in at least some countries and regions.

Soon after the story broke, MacRumors received a seemingly legitimate document from an anonymous tipster indicating that Apple had advised major U.S. carriers to prepare for the launch of eSIM-only smartphones as soon as September 2022.

Given the alleged September 2022 deadline, it is possible that Apple might remove the physical SIM card slot on some iPhone 14 models, rather than some iPhone 15 models as originally rumored, but nothing is definitive at this point.

One obstacle is that eSIM functionality is not available in all countries, so iPhones sold in some areas will need to continue to offer a nano-SIM slot. In countries where a SIM-free iPhone is available, it may be optional, with consumers still able to choose a version with a SIM. There are more than 60 countries that support eSIM, with a list available on Apple's website.

Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 14 models at an event that's likely to be held in September 2022, if Apple follows previous launch timelines.

(Via 9to5Mac.)

Article Link: Steve Jobs Wanted Original iPhone to Have No SIM Card Slot, Says Former iPod VP

 

[ilikewhey]

while traveling i noticed eSim is not a thing in alot of countries, this is gonna be fun for folks who does alot of internationals.

 

[Wokis]

I like physical SIM as I can switch my service from one phone to another without having to deal with the carrier in any way/form/capacity. Any day where I don't have to think about them is a good day.

 

[jlc1978]

Why remove functionality. Granted it would be more watertight but an eSIM and slot allows for two numbers to be used easily as well and swap out for a local SIM when traveling.

An eSIM might involve needing to go to a carrier to activate which is one more hassle that can be avoided.

 

[Nimrad]

There are more than 60 countries that support eSIM, with a list available on Apple's website.

Well, yes, but for instance with Norway it's supported by 2 carriers out of dozens of "carriers". In Norway there are 3 main networks and a whole lot of roaming carriers. It may be easy when the network supports it, but still...

 

[robbietop]

We already knew this, or is this just interesting notes from Tony's discussion?

If you read about Project Purple, Steve fought hard to make Apple an NVMO, but someone finally got through his thick skull the mind numbing costs of building much less maintaining that kind of network.

Then he wanted CDMA, but GSM adoption was 3-4x that and would cripple the iPhone's market potential. But the argument raged for over a year because CDMA is a newer tech and Apple could be the company to expand the CDMA market by leveraging its customer base as the adoption increasing element. What ended it was Cingular buying AT&T and Jobs fell in love with the idea of using the oldest American phone company name as a huge draw to the nascent product. AT&T created the phone system, and so it was fate for the iPhone to be on it.

I don't know if he was aware, maybe the engineers were, but AT&T created UNIX and the fork of Version 4 became BSD, the foundation for Darwin. Darwin is the base layer for MacOS X and all of its forks, including iOS.

And iirc, Steve got embarassed in front of a Cingular exec because he demanded the iPhone to be all aluminum and the radio was useless, hence the black plastic passthrough on the back of the 2G prototype and eventual launch model.

 

[Nimrad]

An eSIM might involve needing to go to a carrier to activate which is one more hassle that can be avoided.

How often do you really need to activate new phones? This should of course be done digitally.

 

[randomchap]

I was pleasantly surprised that the iPhone could 'keep' multiple eSIMs.
I live in country A with an esimA. I traveled to country B and got a temporary esimB.
Coming back to country A, I could just 'swap' my eSIM to esimA, and just remove (delete) esimB.

I was honestly surprised I could have multiple eSIMs available on the phone an pick out of them which to use.

I'm not sure how many eSIMs the phone can keep, but I found I was really happy with the convenience eSIM provided.

I'm all for eSIM only, as soon as enough countries support it.

 

[bassexpander]

Why remove functionality. Granted it would be more watertight but an eSIM and slot allows for two numbers to be used easily as well and swap out for a local SIM when traveling.

An eSIM might involve needing to go to a carrier to activate which is one more hassle that can be avoided.

I can imagine Apple is more interested about the ability to gain space for other components, than it is about waterproofing.

 

[Fraserh02]

Out of curiosity, how did the iPhone 4 CDMA version work if there was no sim tray but also that eSims weren’t a thing yet?

 

[bassexpander]

How often do you really need to activate new phones? This should of course be done digitally.

Korea seems not to allow E-sim, yet we are still supposed to go to the carrier and notify them if we are using the same carrier as the previous owner (or it might get bumped off). Free for us to do so, but still needed.

 

[eduardodfj]

This is a bit like using nanoSIMs. The iPhone pioneered that, at a moment when very few carriers provided them. The difference is that you could cut normal SIMs to nanoSIM size and, conversely, adapt your nanoSIM to other phones' SIM slots.

Now, however, if I travel to a country where no carrier offers eSIM, I'm out of luck. If my preferred carrier doesn't offer eSIM, I'm out of luck. If on arrival I can't contact a carrier offering eSIM, or their processes are cumbersome and/or request national IDs or an internet connection, I'm out of luck.

Seriously, Apple: don't.

 

[jonnysods]

I'm glad he didn't. I remember living in Canada, and buying the original iPhone from someone in the USA. All my workmates were mocking me for being a fanboy, they all stood around me and teased me as I got it out and set it up. Fast forward a few years later, they were all using Macs and iPhones.

 

[JM]

How often do you really need to activate new phones? This should of course be done digitally.

US carriers Verizon and ATT have a b******* policy of charging $40/$30 to activate the phone on their network.

It’s a “new phone tax”.

You can avoid this by swapping old SIM card out into new phone.

Of course Apple bent over and charger $29 more for unlocked version of 13 ( non pro) to appease said carriers.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Wow! Even during that time, Steve was ahead of the time.

 

[EugW]

In North America back in the 90s and early 2000s, a lot of people were convinced CDMA was going to be the dominant standard. I stuck with GSM anyway, which turned out to be the right decision.

I'm glad he didn't. I remember living in Canada, and buying the original iPhone from someone in the USA. All my workmates were mocking me for being a fanboy, they all stood around me and teased me as I got it out and set it up. Fast forward a few years later, they were all using Macs and iPhones.

I'm in Canada and I too said it wasn't a good idea to buy a US iPhone at launch, despite being an Apple fan. Some of my friends drove down to Buffalo and did just that... but ended up upgrading within a year anyway, to get 3G.

I specifically waited a year until the iPhone was available in Canada, with 3G. Much better decision IMO unless you had money to burn. IIRC also, the resale value on original US 2G iPhones in Canada was not great, for obvious reasons.

 

[cicalinarrot]

Wait, why do we even still use sim cards?
All other services have normal accounts, why the >30 years old tech to handle the basic functionality of our futuristic devices?

 

[cocky jeremy]

Why remove functionality. Granted it would be more watertight but an eSIM and slot allows for two numbers to be used easily as well and swap out for a local SIM when traveling.

An eSIM might involve needing to go to a carrier to activate which is one more hassle that can be avoided.

You answered your own question. Less components, and more waterproof.

 

[ilikewhey]

Out of curiosity, how did the iPhone 4 CDMA version work if there was no sim tray but also that eSims weren’t a thing yet?

i had that iphone in college, took it to europe for study abroad and it was basically a glorified GPS tracker with a camera.

 

[EugW]

Wait, why do we even still use sim cards?
All other services have normal accounts, why the >30 years old tech to handle the basic functionality of our futuristic devices?

SIM cards are still more convenient in many situations, and many carriers do not support eSIM for various reasons.

For example, it takes literally just 10 seconds to install a physical SIM.

 

[ruka.snow]

I would love to see the end of the physical SIM card. As it stands it’s that thing you fiddle with when you first buy your phone and maybe swap when you are abroad if you don’t leave your phone at home like a normal person.

 

[0924487]

iPhones and iPads sold in China has stacked dual physical SIM, which is the standard in Asia. I much prefer that over anything else.

 

[EugW]

I was pleasantly surprised that the iPhone could 'keep' multiple eSIMs.
I live in country A with an esimA. I traveled to country B and got a temporary esimB.
Coming back to country A, I could just 'swap' my eSIM to esimA, and just remove (delete) esimB.

I was honestly surprised I could have multiple eSIMs available on the phone an pick out of them which to use.

I'm not sure how many eSIMs the phone can keep, but I found I was really happy with the convenience eSIM provided.

I'm all for eSIM only, as soon as enough countries support it.

I'm not sure about the iPhone, but IIRC eSIM in general is supposed to support 5 numbers.

My personal preference for the near future is to have BOTH eSIM and physical SIM. That provides the most flexibility and convenience.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

My father has a pre-paid plan and I have been giving him my old devices when I buy a new one.

Today, I can easily move his physical SIM between phones (including trimming and sanding old SIM cards to the nano-SIM dimensions) and not be subjected to a carrier activation extortion fee.

I read carriers original objection to eSIM many years ago was they wanted to a cut of the device cost savings from Apple. I assume that with eSIM only phones, I will no longer have the luxury giving my father my old devices without the carrier hitting me with an activation extortion fee.

 

[jlc1978]

Out of curiosity, how did the iPhone 4 CDMA version work if there was no sim tray but also that eSims weren’t a thing yet?

CDMA did not use a SIM for the account. It used a different protocol to verify a valid account.