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Apple vs. Nokia, RIM and Motorola On Nano-SIM Standard

Posted by timothy on from the wish-they'd-fight-more-to-improve-interfaces dept.

angry tapir writes "Next week, two proposals for a new, smaller SIM card, dubbed nano-SIM — one backed by Apple and the other by Nokia, Research In Motion and Motorola Mobility — will go head-to-head as ETSI (the European Telecommunications Standards Institute) decides which card future smartphones and tablets will use. Measuring approximately 12 millimeters by 9 millimeters, the new SIM will be about 30 percent smaller than the micro-SIM. The thickness of the cards has been reduced by about 15 percent, according to Giesecke & Devrient. The nano-SIM is also approximately 60 percent smaller than traditional-size SIM cards."

8 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. Too small by Baron_Yam · · Score: 5, Insightful

    After a certain point, you may as well forget the SIM and just build it into the device.

    Items that are meant to be removeable and transferable need to be large enough for a consumer to manipulate with their fingers.

    1. Re:Too small by beelsebob · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Apple tried to do this, unfortunately, all the telcos baulked at the idea that any phone would be trivially reprogrammable to join another network –all you would need to do was tap a button on the phone and be instantly on a new contract.

    2. Re:Too small by beelsebob · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, exactly the reverse was the issue. When apple proposed this, the telcos baulked at the idea that users would be able to switch to a contract with another company at the tap of a button on their phone.

    3. Re:Too small by Z00L00K · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The point behind the SIM card is that it shall be easy to change phone without any fuzz. And if the SIM cards has different sizes depending on device it's counteracting that.

      Don't underestimate the advantage you can get by having different phones for different situations. A cheap simple rugged phone for outdoor and a flashy smartphone when doing business.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
  2. Re:WHo get how much by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Apples and my personal definition of Reasonable in Reasonable And Non-Discriminatory are kilometers apart.

    Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!! In a story with Motorola and the discussion of industry essential FRAND patents, you're targeting _APPLE_?? Motorola is attempting to gouge select, specific companies (that would be counter to Non-Discriminatory) at the rate of 2.25% per device (that would be counter to Reasonable). Seriously, Apple has openly stated their intention to support FRAND obligations while Motorola's _ACTIONS_ have been the absolute opposite of Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory in relation to their FRAND obligations. And you pick on Apple?

    Sometimes the mind simply boggles...

  3. Re:Coolness Factor? by UnknowingFool · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is also the reason Apple proposed a shorter headphone jack: To save space. Most Slashdot geeks were not impressed with the 4S as it didn't seem to be all that different externally. Internally Apple was able to make a GSM/CDMA phone the same size as their older, separate models. There is a lot of engineering these days to cram in as much in as possible like the new Motorola Droid that is missed if someone is looking at the tech specs only.

    --
    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  4. Nothing to do with size by pablo_max · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Apple, like all other GSM/UMTS manufactures pay a licensing fee to companies like ORGA and Nokia to use the SIM cards. I will also point out that from the beginning, Apple did not want to use a SIM card. However, the SIM is a core requirement to using the GSM and UMTS standards. It is additionally required for both PTCRB and GCF certification schemes.
    One of the main benefits of the SIM / USIM is portability. The core spec was designed such that you could insert your SIM into any phone and be billed accordingly. It was actually against the rules to have a SIM locked phone back in the old days.

    No, Apple doesn't care how big it is, because lets face it, the SIM is not big. Apple is more interested in controlling the standard. Then, suddenly, ORGA, Nokia and even the carriers will need to pay Apple to use the new SIM format.

    Keep in mind though, it is not only carriers and phone makers who are effected. There are many smaller companies who have invested millions into the development of test equipment and software to test the current format of SIM.

  5. Re:When has Apple ever abused FRAND terms? by marsu_k · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is simply because they don't have any FRANDable patents, only elementary stuff like round corners and slide-to-unlock (neither of which should have been granted).