Smaller sim cards proposed

[Glenn]

Apple 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]

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

[DorsetBoy]

    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]

That did cross my mind too.

[Lance]

  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]

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

[Rik]

Someone will make an adapter for small to large.

[Simon]

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]

What draws you to that one?

[Simon]

It's new and shiny. 

[pctech]

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]

It's new and shiny. 

[Rik]

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

Couldn't agree more Mitch.

[pctech]

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]

Bring back DOS, it worked just fine. 

[pctech]

Yes indeedy.

[Rik]

Imagine how fast Viscalc would be on a modern machine.

[pctech]

 

Windows 3.1?

[Rik]

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

[pctech]

I only remember as far back as Windows 3.0.

[Glenn]

OS/2 anyone?

[ST Driver]

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]

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

[pctech]

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]

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