First there were SIMs the size of credit cards. Then there were the fingernail-sized cards we’ve become familiar with. More recently we’ve seen a microSIM in the Apple iPhone 4. And now Apple wants to shrink SIM cards even more.
Apple has contacted the European Telecommunications Standards Institute to propose an ultra-small SIM card for future devices. The move is supported by a number of mobile operators, including Orange, although it’s unlikely to be adopted until next year at the earliest.
Last October it was reported that Apple was working with SIM card producer Gemalto to create an ‘electronic SIM’ that could be built into the iPhone hardware.
[Sources: Reuters.com; CNET.com]