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

[shplock]

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.

Your logic shows that swapping the sim does not avoid the charge but you know what does? Avoiding those networks then and as they lose serious amounts of customers they may change that policy...easy!

 

[shplock]

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.

It took me not that much longer to activate an eSIM, nobody and I mean NOBODY needs a few extra seconds in their life unless they spend all day every day doing nothing but swapping their sim over in which case stop doing that and get a life.

 

[shplock]

eSIM is a lot less secure as it cannot be used to authenticate a real human being.

You have to associate your phone number and the SIM card to a national ID card in China. In the process, you have your biometrics taken. So, having a SIM card basically means you have a digital ID card in China for online use. It's one and only, no one can misrepresent you or a Chinese citizen. It's used for banking authentication and everything. If some app or phone company can just issue new numbers or floating Chinese numbers to anyone, it will compromise the secured system. It will also obfuscate the real identity behind the phone number. Since the initial activation doesn't require mailing of the physical SIM, it allows for remote activation out of the country, which invites scammers in SE Asia, and this is a real organized fraud problem.

Yeah because it is soooooo impossible to get a physical sim card in a fake name? LMFAO! I have done it frequently and China is not the only country in the world so who cares about 1 authoritarian style country that feels it has to spy on all of it's citizens.
We do deserve some privacy in this world you know, even you.

 

[shplock]

Please don’t remove it. I move SIM cards between devices all the time. This would be enough of a reason for me to switch to a different device.

Then switch as progress should not be stopped just because 1 person wishes to live over 25 years in the past.

 

[shplock]

Have you ever damaged or replaced your phone? Or dropped it off for service? Using a SIM lets you move your number to a different device instantly without having to call the carrier (from another phone) and have them move it for you, with the delays and possible fees. Getting rid of SIMs would be a huge mistake and extremely inconvenient.

Yes because it is not as though the process of eSIMs would ever improve would it or get easier?
[end sarcasm]

 

[shplock]

One good reason: two factor. You can remove the sim and place it in another phone and get the code. With eSim only, no way to get the code.

You can also lose the sim card, damage it and also be more controlled by the carrier not less controlled(eSIM).

 

[jlc1978]

If I were Tim Cook I would swap all iPhones over to eSIM in September and inform any country that does not support the technology to get on board or get left behind, as otherwise Apple will have to wait forever.
Why allow dumb laggard countries to hold back progress?

Right. So those EU countries that still have MVNOs will simply say “No problem Apple. Kill those companies.”

Apple has more to lose with such a stupid move.

I disagree as I have used an eSIM and nothing easier!

Until you are somewhere where you can’t get an eSIM or you provider is not in that country, or your phone dies.

Then switch as progress should not be stopped just because 1 person wishes to live over 25 years in the past.

People still want a charging port which is even older tech. Newer isn’t always better.

 

[shplock]

Indeed. But sometimes I really appreciate the simplicity of a SIM card. With a SIM card, you transfer your card over, and it's done. Or you can transfer it back, in 10 seconds and you're done.

I've had on-and-off problems with Apple IDs that were usually Apple's fault and it gets quite frustrating.

Physical sims get damaged, lost or stolen etc plus how often do you swap over sims?
Not often at all,EVER! So nobody and I mean NOBODY NOBODY NOBODY ever needs the few extra moments that would be saved by swapping over a physical sim over an eSIM.
This is a case of people complaining over nothing just like the ***** losers who whined and cried over Microsoft taking away the start button in Windows 8!

 

[eduardodfj]

Your argument then is that Ford should not have built the Model T Ford because you know....hardly any roads or gas stations or service centres and so the early buyers would find things difficult for a while until industry and government was thus forced to supply said things.
Interesting, so Apple....YES!

Given that my current iPhone has both eSIM and a nano-SIM slot and the idea is that Apple might remove the nano-SIM slot and leaving users with less flexibility, your argument is a bit pointless.

 

[shplock]

I still prefer SIM cards for phones. For example, they're especially useful when testing multiple phones at the same time.

I'd like to consider myself at least reasonably tech savvy.

But like I said, I think the ideal situation is what we have now, which is SIM support and eSIM support in the same phone. It doesn't have to be only one vs. the other.

Physical sims are dumb and outdated so there is literally no reason to keep them as I already proved.

 

[eduardodfj]

Physical sims get damaged, lost or stolen etc plus how often do you swap over sims?
Not often at all,EVER! So nobody and I mean NOBODY NOBODY NOBODY ever needs the few extra moments that would be saved by swapping over a physical sim over an eSIM.
This is a case of people complaining over nothing just like the ***** losers who whined and cried over Microsoft taking away the start button in Windows 8!

It takes longer to activate an eSIM than it takes to swap physical SIM cards. I happen to use the eSIM in my iphone, leaving the nano-SIM slot for when I travel, and the process of requesting and activating the eSIM is quite more cumbersome. Among other issues, you need an internet connection and a postpaid account, which is not the case with a physical card that you buy, on arrival, at the airport.

So until the use of eSIMs is widespread, and as easy to buy and activate, it would be pretty dumb from the part of Apple to remove the nano-SIM slot. Future or no future.

 

[ilikewhey]

Physical sims get damaged, lost or stolen etc plus how often do you swap over sims?
Not often at all,EVER! So nobody and I mean NOBODY NOBODY NOBODY ever needs the few extra moments that would be saved by swapping over a physical sim over an eSIM.
This is a case of people complaining over nothing just like the ***** losers who whined and cried over Microsoft taking away the start button in Windows 8!

when i was traveling last year, i was swapping sims everytime i get to a new country which was about once every 2 weeks, i tried esim with vodafone and it just threw errors with the barcode scanning. plus i can throw my physical sim into my ipad whenever hotspotting isn't optimal.

 

[ilikewhey]

Physical sims are dumb and outdated so there is literally no reason to keep them as I already proved.

lol you didn't prove jack, you just throw out bunch of excuses that fits your narrative.

 

[jlc1978]

when i was traveling last year, i was swapping sims everytime i get to a new country which was about once every 2 weeks, i tried esim with vodafone and it just threw errors with the barcode scanning.

The tech still isn’t as straightforward as a physical SIM.

plus i can throw my physical sim into my ipad whenever hotspotting isn't optimal.

Good point. I do that as well with my second number as it’s cheaper than a separate iPad line.

 

[0924487]

Yeah because it is soooooo impossible to get a physical sim card in a fake name? LMFAO! I have done it frequently and China is not the only country in the world so who cares about 1 authoritarian style country that feels it has to spy on all of it's citizens.
We do deserve some privacy in this world you know, even you.

In China, it’s not possible because you need a smart national ID card with encryption, and biometrics verification to get a SIM.

 

[jlc1978]

Physical sims get damaged, lost or stolen etc

Sure, and a phone can die rendering an eSIM much harder to transfer, if at all.

plus how often do you swap over sims?

Depends. When traveling I have done it fairly regularly if I want high speed data.

Not often at all,EVER! So nobody and I mean NOBODY NOBODY NOBODY ever needs the few extra moments that would be saved by swapping over a physical sim over an eSIM.

It's not about time but the ease of either moving your service to a new device or getting a SIM that is local to where you are. eSIMs are not used by every provider everywhere.

You might be nobody but other users aren't.

This is a case of people complaining over nothing just like the ***** losers who whined and cried over Microsoft taking away the start button in Windows 8!

Are like those who decide abacus ether never do something it is useless and worth getting rid of as a result.

 

[rocketbuc]

In general, I’d prefer to go all eSim. Already today we’re logging in to very delicate apps and services with Two-Factor Authentication only.

On the other hand, such a move would render all old phones (I still have and occasionally use my 6 and 5c) basically usele if no physical SIMs are available. Couldn’t the providera just offer a SIM/eSIM combo where you can swap between the two with a simple GSM code?

 

[NYCValkyrie]

eSIM is pain, we have to get new barcode to scan every time i change phones, they have to streamline the process.

It's actually the same QR code that auto populates carrier information rather than you typing it in.

 

[technole]

SIM-less was among the best features about CDMA (good call Qualcomm), now here we are. It's just a matter of time until they delete the slot for eSIM anyway.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

SIM-less was among the best features about CDMA (good call Qualcomm), now here we are. It's just a matter of time until they delete the slot for eSIM anyway.

The part that carriers need to be forced into is making the tool where you can just input the new IMEI if you are switching phones. When they allow us to do that*, it can be pretty much automated. Currently, it is the carrier's decision to not allow this, not the technology. People seem to be confused why using eSIM is as complicated as it is currently.

*Verizon used to let you do this between 2 CDMA phones at some point if I recall.

 

[EugW]

The part that carriers need to be forced into is making the tool where you can just input the new IMEI if you are switching phones. When they allow us to do that*, it can be pretty much automated. Currently, it is the carrier's decision to not allow this, not the technology. People seem to be confused why using eSIM is as complicated as it is currently.

Well, that's just it, why eSIM is such a problem. Sure the technology could be great, but it simply isn't in actual practice, because it's something the carriers want control over.

Until this changes, I don't want a phone that has eSIM only.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

Well, that's just it, why eSIM is such a problem. Sure the technology could be great, but it simply isn't in actual practice, because it's something the carriers want control over.

Ah yes let's give into the carriers and continue to let them control this then rather than forcing an evolution. You right.

It isn't as if I couldn't just move to a new carrier w/o having to speak to a person already. I can literally use the TMO, Verizon, US Mobile or Mint Mobile apps to switch or add a 2nd line right now. (I did start a 2nd line w/ US Mobile who is in beta for eSIMs and my line was active in about 15 minutes. Didn't need to speak w/ anyone.)

 

[EugW]

Ah yes let's give into the carriers and continue to let them control this then rather than forcing an evolution. You right.

? Keeping GSM SIM slots means they don't get to keep control over our phones. I'll let people like you continue to campaign to give us control of eSIM, but until that happens the result is the same. We don't have control over it.

Like I said before, I think right now the best solution is to have BOTH eSIM and SIM slot.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

? Keeping GSM SIM slots means they don't get to keep control over our phones. I'll let people like you continue to campaign to give us control of eSIMs, but until that happens the result is the same. We don't have control over it.

Like I said before, I think right now the best solution is to have BOTH eSIM and SIM slot.

I'm glad younger generations understand what can be instead of being stuck in old systems by people who have no vision.

 

[EugW]

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