Vote on Nano-SIM Standard Delayed Amid Continued Disagreements

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Do you not agree that having a little physical card in your phone to identify yourself is a bit old?

You're absolutely right. In fact, I wrote to Apple several hours ago and asked them to stop using SIM cards because it's all old hat now, and also asked them to stop printing circuit boards as they're a bit, y'know, "retro".

I also ripped out the HDD from my computer and decided to remember all in my head.

 

[Tea-Aholic]

The exchange student he was talking to was probably on au/KDDI, which uses the same tech as verizon and sprint, but on several different frequencies, one of which actually is compatible (however rare). (yes, I had a verizon phone lock on to an au tower and receive a welcome text message once.)

Docomo and Softbank use UMTS/WCDMA, like the rest of the world. The 2100 band works with most UMTS phones.

au KDDI actually is a EV-DO Rev. A network, hence your Verizon phone roaming onto it. Remember, the iPhone 4S (CDMA) works and is sold on KDDI.

And all three carriers NTT docomo, SoftBank (UMTS) and au (CDMA) use SIM cards.

 

[pacalis]

I posted a version this in an older thread on this, and thought I would repost here.

This doesn't seem to be about the size of the sim. And I doubt apple cares so much about a tiny sliver of plastic. There are two things I think are going on.

First is the reciprocity clause so they get access to others patents.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-5...-sim-for-free-on-one-condition/?tag=cnetRiver

But I also understand the new sim will have identifiers that will allow you to choose your carrier from the phone (is this true?). The reason apple would want to do this is that in many markets they no longer need the carriers to push their phones. And so by breaking the carrier business model (i.e. term agreements), the carriers can't push competitor phones (i.e. Nokia/MS).

So, if you love apple's platform, and will always buy apple no matter what, this sim is good news for you. But if you want a balanced ecosystem, with competition in the hardware space, it's bad. It's also bad if you must pay for your phone over term (i.e. poor people). It's also bad if you're any other handset manufacturer. And it's also bad if you're an established carrier.

 

[mrklaw]

But I also understand the new sim will have identifiers that will allow you to choose your carrier from the phone (is this true?). The reason apple would want to do this is that in many markets they no longer need the carriers to push their phones. And so by breaking the carrier business model (i.e. term agreements), the carriers can't push competitor phones (i.e. Nokia/MS).
.

don't think that makes any difference, you can already do that via the network. Eg automatic operator selection will choose a roaming partner when you go abroad if available

 

[androiphone]

Well in that situation you still buy a cheap phone with a cheap pre-paid sim card set your number to divert to said phone before you leave the house, end divert when you get home. Or just keep your last phone and do the same thing.

I think Apple may just go and use the space freed to do both. eSIM chip to drive NFC have it available to networks willing to go SIM free. Kind of wondering if two phones had NFC to securely transfer the Network SIM between two devices, such as your expensive smartphone to you want to leave at home and a cheap disposal phone.

using divert or anything would cost you a fortune though (as you have to pay for the pass-through at full rate), plus if you wanted to call someone you would then be calling them from a different number from your actual number.

simcards and their whole principle work, we can make them smaller sure, but get rid of, no.

 

[baryon]

You're absolutely right. In fact, I wrote to Apple several hours ago and asked them to stop using SIM cards because it's all old hat now, and also asked them to stop printing circuit boards as they're a bit, y'know, "retro".

I also ripped out the HDD from my computer and decided to remember all in my head.

You've yet to provide an argument in favor of SIM cards. I've given you plenty against them.

 

[daxomni]

You've yet to provide an argument in favor of SIM cards. I've given you plenty against them.

SIM cards save me money when I travel abroad by allowing me to use an unlocked phone on a local plan at local prices. I don't see how that would work without the SIM. I guess if you don't travel or if your mobile phone budget is limitless then you wouldn't know or care about this. However, there are many of us who do travel and don't have thousands of dollars to hand over each month for absurdly expensive international roaming plans.

 

[baryon]

SIM cards save me money when I travel abroad by allowing me to use an unlocked phone on a local plan at local prices. I don't see how that would work without the SIM. I guess if you don't travel or if your mobile phone budget is limitless then you wouldn't know or care about this. However, there are many of us who do travel and don't have thousands of dollars to hand over each month for absurdly expensive international roaming plans.

Well, with a username and password, that you pay for? Imagine using Skype on different computers, you log in with a username and a password. Now imagine using something like Skype that you pay for. You can have credit, and everything you have today with SIM cards. Is that so difficult to imagine?

I'm not at all saying that a SIM-less phone should be locked into a single phone number and operator. I'm saying that a SIM-less phone should be able to connect to anything and everything by simply providing a username and password, or at least some kind of authentication code or something, that the network gives you when you sign up for a plan…

I travel a lot and I hate how I have to swap SIMs all the time, they're tiny enough as they are, difficult to remove and it requires replacing my battery and that resets the time and date. It's really annoying and fiddly, especially if you do it 20 times a year. With a username and password, all you'd have to do is sign in with a different account… You might even be able to have multiple accounts signed in at once. Imagine the possibilities...

 

[daxomni]

Well, with a username and password, that you pay for? Imagine using Skype on different computers, you log in with a username and a password. Now imagine using something like Skype that you pay for. You can have credit, and everything you have today with SIM cards. Is that so difficult to imagine?

You asked what purpose they serve and what benefit they provide and I explained it in real terms that actually affect me. I'm not here to debate your imagination.

 

[d0vr]

For those who replied to my simless chant: I haven't visited macrumors via a computer for a couple of days and never got the notifications. Personally, I still think simless would be best as it means less things to go wrong.

I like the idea of being able to either flash a sim card to the phone, or just using an ID code of some form, but I can see how it might cause problems, especially when it comes to trying to use another phone. On that note though, I think we should be able to attach multiple devices to one number though, and if that were possible, it would solve some of those problems - for example one phone for partying and one for every day use.