Smaller sim cards proposed

Glenn · May 19, 2011, 08:31:14

QuoteApple has proposed an even tinier SIM format to the European standards body ETSI.

The standard will take a year or two to be agreed, so don't expect super-titchy SIMs immediately or even in the next iPhone. But if adopted it will mean the SIM taking up less space in the phone.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/18/apple_sim/

Rik · May 19, 2011, 08:34:58

Each SIM comes with a free pair of tweezers to handle it.

DorsetBoy · May 19, 2011, 08:37:25

They are only doing this because they know that a smaller card will be more easily lost or broken hence they make yet more money out of the replacements.

Glenn · May 19, 2011, 08:43:19

That did cross my mind too.

Lance · May 19, 2011, 09:42:44

Quote from: DorsetBoy on May 19, 2011, 08:37:25
They are only doing this because they know that a smaller card will be more easily lost or broken hence they make yet more money out of the replacements.

By they do you meant the ETSI? Obviously sims are dealt with by the networks.

I prefer Apple's ultimate wish of not having sim cards, although thats a major change as the GSM standard requires a removable card.

Simon · May 19, 2011, 09:57:49

It also presumably means that their new sim cards won't fit in other phones, and vice versa.

Rik · May 19, 2011, 10:01:47

Someone will make an adapter for small to large.

Simon · May 19, 2011, 10:18:57

No doubt. But it would only work one way, so if you wanted am iPhone, you'd have to get one of their sims. I'm still eyeing up the BlackBerry Touch (Storm 3).

Rik · May 19, 2011, 10:22:38

What draws you to that one?

Simon · May 19, 2011, 10:24:52

It's new and shiny.

pctech · May 19, 2011, 10:50:40

Quote from: Lance on May 19, 2011, 09:42:44
By they do you meant the ETSI? Obviously sims are dealt with by the networks.

I prefer Apple's ultimate wish of not having sim cards, although thats a major change as the GSM standard requires a removable card.

The SIM standard is governed by ETSI and more specifically the 3GPP (3G Partnership Project) within it.

to remove the SIM will possibly mean going back to ETACs, phone broken? that might be a new number or wait x number of days for the operator to do a configuration change as is the case in the States on CDMA, why would we want to go to that?

This is just yet another example of Apple trying to guarantee platform lock in.

the small SIM can be hard enough to handle, why do we want to make it smaller.

Rik · May 19, 2011, 11:09:05

Quote from: Simon on May 19, 2011, 10:24:52
It's new and shiny.

Rik · May 19, 2011, 11:09:33

Quote from: pctech on May 19, 2011, 10:50:40
the small SIM can be hard enough to handle, why do we want to make it smaller.

Couldn't agree more Mitch.

pctech · May 19, 2011, 11:13:40

I think I remember Apple proposing a 'software SIM' at one point, oh yes that would really work in their favour wouldn't it as you can bet only Apple shops could move it between iPhones.

The SIM form factoir standard has worked well for the past 20 years or so leave it alone

Rik · May 19, 2011, 11:19:33

Bring back DOS, it worked just fine.

pctech · May 19, 2011, 11:25:25

Yes indeedy.

Rik · May 19, 2011, 11:26:26

Imagine how fast Viscalc would be on a modern machine.

pctech · May 19, 2011, 11:27:26

Windows 3.1?

Rik · May 19, 2011, 11:29:31

I remember Windows 1. Totally unstable, but we were all amazed by it at the time.

pctech · May 19, 2011, 13:11:27

I only remember as far back as Windows 3.0.

Glenn · May 19, 2011, 14:05:51

OS/2 anyone?

ST Driver · May 19, 2011, 15:07:56

Don't go there Glenn it got me in big trouble with the wife.

She framed the cd and put a caption "Using this disk Will damage your health" and then put it on the wall, to remind me.

Rik · May 19, 2011, 16:08:31

A strange blip on the memory radar was OS/2.

pctech · May 19, 2011, 19:13:01

I remember the commercials for OS/2 Warp like this one but never used it or the original.

What was it like to use?

Rik · May 20, 2011, 10:03:39

I avoided it like the plague, Mitch, suspecting it wouldn't succeed.

Glenn · May 20, 2011, 10:07:52

But it did, so rumour has it, it was called Windows 95.

Rik · May 20, 2011, 10:08:36

95 wasn't too bad.

pctech · May 20, 2011, 10:48:09

My old PC had 95 B with USB extensions.

Gary · May 20, 2011, 10:51:33

Smaller sims bigger batteries more internal space for hardware, simple really, and its not like we remove then all the time...unless you are Simon maybe

pctech · May 20, 2011, 10:52:39

No but increases the hassle if you want to switch away.

Gary · May 20, 2011, 11:04:10

Quote from: pctech on May 20, 2011, 10:52:39
No but increases the hassle if you want to switch away.

Not really, the adapter for the iPhone 4 sim is a ten second job Mitch and is provided by O2 free.

Technical Ben · May 21, 2011, 08:36:02

Quote from: DorsetBoy on May 19, 2011, 08:37:25
They are only doing this because they know that a smaller card will be more easily lost or broken hence they make yet more money out of the replacements.

Although em cards and slots can be a problem in smaller devices, I see no way the current line could impose design restrictions. So it makes you wonder doesn't it.
I see no one trying to make Credit Cards super small.

Why not just go 100% digital? Store the phone book on the "clouds" and just use a 18 digit code for your network access.

Quote from: Simon on May 19, 2011, 09:57:49
It also presumably means that their new sim cards won't fit in other phones, and vice versa.

This!
My mother refused to get a new phone for ages (rightly so) because she had an old Sim, that was still on a super cheap contract. If she got a replacements sim, they automatically "upgraded" the contract to a more expensive one!

Gary · May 21, 2011, 11:47:28

Quote from: Technical Ben on May 21, 2011, 08:36:02
Although em cards and slots can be a problem in smaller devices, I see no way the current line could impose design restrictions. So it makes you wonder doesn't it.
I see no one trying to make Credit Cards super small.

Why not just go 100% digital? Store the phone book on the "clouds" and just use a 18 digit code for your network access.

This!
My mother refused to get a new phone for ages (rightly so) because she had an old Sim, that was still on a super cheap contract. If she got a replacements sim, they automatically "upgraded" the contract to a more expensive one!

If you get replacement sims now that does not happen, it didnt when I had an old Genie sim card either, sim cards are owned by the telco so if they go wrong they replace them, they should not upgrade your tariff because your sim needs replacing really. They have to keep sims current and do advise replacing if they are old and you can be on the same tariff for years and get new sims unless I guess it was a network issue like going from wap dial up style internet only internet to GPRS and that was years ago, or maybe mms being added I guess even then you dont have to have it turned on. Weird

but I would have argued that.

pctech · May 21, 2011, 18:01:14

She didn't have one of the Philips Diga phones on Cellnet did she which held the tariff and balance on the card itself.

A colleague had one of those right until O2 switched off the supporting servers, I remember him swearing his head off one day when he went to make a call at work and couldn't.

Technical Ben · May 21, 2011, 18:04:02

Nah. It was a Nokia. Could probably argue against it, but you know what the sales teams are like!