ETSI,
short for the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, has
decided on the next-generation SIM card, also known as the nano-SIM
card. The fourth form factor, or 4FF, design will be 40% smaller than
the current micro-SIM version, and it should help smartphone and tablet
makers reduce the size of SIM trays in future devices and find a
different use for the freed space.
The 4FF SIM card will measure
12.3 x 8.8 x 0.67 mm, will be backwards compatible with current SIM card
models and it will offer the same functionality. While ETSI did not
confirm that the design chosen was the one proposed by Apple and
contested by various players in the mobile business such as
Nokia, Motorola and RIM
– these companies have proposed their own nano-SIM design – it appears
that it was Apple’s model that was finally chosen by the European
regulator.
PC World reports that representatives of card maker
Giesecke & Devrient have identified Apple’s design as being the
winning proposition.
ETSI
did say that the new standard was adopted “with the involvement of
major mobile network operators, smart card suppliers and mobile device
manufacturers.” The new design will soon be published on the
institution’s website, but we have no idea at this time what the first
Android smart devices coming with nano-SIM compatibility will be.
Naturally, Apple’s future iOS devices will probably support 4FF SIM
cards, although it may be too late for this year’s iPhone to pack a
nano-SIM tray instead of the same micro-SIM tray that’s currently used
in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models.
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