Apple faces off with Nokia, Motorola and RIM over nano-SIM
Apple may have to resort to a spot of gerrymandering to get the new smaller nano-SIM approved.
SIM cards are about to get even smaller, thanks to Apple. An industry body is set to approve the nano-SIM -- but Apple may have to resort to dirty tricks to force it through...
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute votes next week on making the nano-SIM the standard next-generation SIM. The ETSI is made up of phone manufacturers and networks, many of whom have backed Apple. But the vote is far from won, and the FT reports that Apple plans a spot of gerrymandering to win the day.
The iPhone folk are reportedly registering European subsidiaries as voters to increase the share of total votes. That would allow it to win a squabble over the way the new nano-SIM slots into your phone.
Apple wants a little drawer that slides in and out, cradling your SIM as it goes, like the one on the iPhone. Nokia, Motorola and BlackBerry-builder RIM disagree -- they say their idea has "significant technical advantages".
Apple rivals are also concerned that the Cupertino-based company would own many patents connected to the nano-SIM.
The last time Apple messed around with the humble SIM card it was to introduce the micro-SIM in the iPhone and iPad. That half-size SIM also been adopted by Nokia for the Nokia Lumia 800 and chums. But you don't need to spend extra or tie yourself with a micro SIM contract -- simply grab a pair of scissors and follow our handy guide to turning a normal SIM card into a micro-SIM.
The nano-SIM is about a third smaller than the micro-SIM, and thinner too, which should allow phone manufacturers to fit more in to thinner phones and tablets.