European Carriers Hoarding Nano-SIMs before Apple iPhone 5 release
Reports suggest that European telecom companies are hoarding Nano-SIMs before the eventual release of Apple iPhone 5
By Nabila Habib
Following a hint that Apple might be using the new little nano-SIM in its soon-to-be-released iPhone 5, European mobile operators are stockpiling the item in their warehouses.
Nano-SIM is the next stage of SIM being used so far in phones and tablets. After the usual SIM card phones used, Apple came out with its micro-SIM that smaller than the normal SIM card. The micro-SIM was used in iPhone 4 and iPads. When Apple came out with the micro SIM concept, it triggered a big controversy, as the market feared that this was Apple’s move to monopolise the market and take control over it. Then just as iPhone 4 was release, the demand for the micro-SIM boomed and suppliers, who were taken completely by surprise, struggled to keep up.
Now since earlier this year Apple and Nokia had been entangled in a tussle to get their designs of a nano-SIM approved. Only last month Apple’s proposed design for the innovative SIM was approved. Since the approval, European carriers have gone head over heels to stockpiles
The stockpiling of the nano-SIM was reported in Financial Times. Suppliers are trying their best not to be caught off guard as they were with the micro-SIM.
The report cited signs of launch that Apple’s European operator partners have started placing multiple orders with chipmakers for the nano-SIM. This little piece also happens to be the only physical piece of the phone that is owned by the telecom networks.
As usual Apple has refused to confirmed if it would be using the nano-SIM in its next generation iPhone or not, but it has done nothing to dampen the preparations by the industry. The iPhone 5 is rumoured to be launched by the end of the third quarter this year, just ahead of the festive season.
There is various speculations about the features and specs of the new iPhone, there have been leaked pictures of purported iPhone designs, but so far there is no concrete information on the whats and what-nots of the iPhone 5.
Like the rumoured metal backing of the next iPhone, advanced 3D camera, bigger screen and an ability to run on 4G or LTE mobile data networks, the nano-SIM news is also an unconfirmed report so far.
One source revealed that the iPhone 5 was likely to be similar sized as the iPhone 4 although slimmer and with a fully metal body. The Cupertino firm has been in negotiations with some operators about the commercial terms of its sales agreements, which can cover areas such as the number of units ordered and sold.
The nano-SIM has not yet been seen in the market even though Apple’s design for the tiny Sim cards was approved last month by the industry’s standards group. Besides Apple, other devices will also be able to use the nano-SIM. The nano-SIM is 40% smaller than its previous counterpart the micro-SIM, which is used by many innovative smartphones. However, it will not be used by Nokia when it launches its latest Lumia handset that will run Microsoft’s revamped Windows 8 operating system this autumn.
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