Follow Us:
16

Here comes the nanoSIM: the next step in slimming down smartphones

By on November 11, 2011 at 7:07pm in Mobile News

When the iPhone 4 debuted, it was (and still is, though less so) a very thin phone. At around 9.3mm thick and no removable battery the SIM card had to go somewhere, and Apple preempted the issue by creating the first widely-released phone with the new microSIM standard. Around 40% smaller than regular SIMs, and the same thickness, it hasn’t yet caught on all that much (the Motorola RAZR is the only other major phone release with a microSIM in Canada) but that doesn’t mean we have witnessed the end of slender SIM cards.

Behold the nanoSIM: a German company by the name of Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) has further reduced the size of the current microSIM by 20%, with a 15% reduction in thickness. If and when adopted — Apple has already applied to the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) for approval of the new design — it will allow manufacturers to include even bigger batteries and camera modules without sacrificing thickness. While we don’t have a picture to show you, it will likely look like a miniature version of the microSIM we already know and love.

And anyone worried that their nanoSIM won’t fit in their current device? Well, as with the microSIM, adapters will be made available. Just be careful; these things are known to get lost.

Source: G&D
Via: GigaOm

Related posts:

  1. BCE Chair & Directors “step aside”
  2. Good Cause: Virgin supports “Step up for Street Kids” Charity Walk
  3. SaskTel starts selling microSIM cards
  4. Sony Ericsson on upcoming Android devices: “we’ve taken a big step forward for 2011″

Discussion

16 comments for “Here comes the nanoSIM: the next step in slimming down smartphones”

  1. The micro sim was introduced with the iPhone 4, not the 4S…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 4

    Posted by Adam | November 11, 2011, 7:27 pm
    Reply to this comment

  2. Am I missing something here? Didn’t the microSIM come out with the Iphone 4 and Ipad?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Brendan | November 11, 2011, 7:39 pm
    Reply to this comment

  3. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 44

    Posted by Punjabi | November 11, 2011, 7:42 pm
    Reply to this comment

    • Hey if you don’t like it move back to India. If not then shut up

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 45 Thumb down 23

      Posted by Bruce Wayne | November 11, 2011, 8:12 pm

    • Deport the trator now! Adn dont forgot qeubec

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 20 Thumb down 22

      Posted by Proud Candadian | November 11, 2011, 11:10 pm

  4. So wrong …

    Instead of a one simple standard SIM card size that works in every phone, now there are multiple options and additional control by carriers .. “Got that latest unlocked phone with picoSIM?” … “Sorry, we don’t support that, but we can sell this new phone on a 3 yr contact!”

    It’s not like SIM card was really that much space consuming, I am certain we could live with extra 4 cubic mm of volume for a benefit of having a worldwide standard.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 46 Thumb down 2

    Posted by pasuljko | November 11, 2011, 7:43 pm
    Reply to this comment

  5. I still have a hard time visualizing how it actually makes a difference. All other devices so far have managed to fit a full sized MiniSIM card (the full SIM is the size of a credit card)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1

    Posted by Grahamf | November 11, 2011, 8:11 pm
    Reply to this comment

    • You are missing the point of this: it is meant to prevent consumers from swapping SIM between phones.

      For one thing, the carriers make a ton from roaming charges, but they lose a lot due to people getting local SIM’s when they travel.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3

      Posted by Tom | November 11, 2011, 8:27 pm

    • I’m willing to bet they don’t lose nearly as much as you think.

      If I couldn’t get a local sim, I just wouldn’t use my phone. Rogers doesn’t make/lose any money from me either way.

      Plus, the vast majority of people have no idea how to unlock a phone, or even that you can.

      Furthermore, business users are probably the most likely to use their phone out of country. If it’s a business account, odds are they just pay the roaming vs. unlocking a business device and using a local SIM.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1

      Posted by Adam | November 12, 2011, 4:45 pm

  6. My cousin in India has one too. Of course, we have food and medicine…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 18

    Posted by mech9t5@gmail.com | November 11, 2011, 8:23 pm
    Reply to this comment

  7. At least with the microsim you could just cut down your regular SIM… this one looks to have different gold contacts. Great, now SIM isn’t universal anymore.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 2

    Posted by Nick | November 11, 2011, 8:31 pm
    Reply to this comment

  8. So how many sim card versions do we have now? This is an obvious attempt at not allowing us to swap sims when travelling to other countries etc. I see more negatives than positives here! And yes deport the immigrants from Canada who don’t integrate into OUR society! Go Canadian or go home!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6

    Posted by Bob | November 12, 2011, 3:57 am
    Reply to this comment

  9. I do not know why we switch over to soft sim cards already.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

    Posted by Rio | November 12, 2011, 4:31 pm
    Reply to this comment

  10. Simple solution – just don’t buy anymore useless apple phone – problems solve.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0

    Posted by iDonkey | November 13, 2011, 12:50 am
    Reply to this comment

Post a comment