Nano Sim?

[jungleguy]

I see the iPhone 5 has a Nano sim, I'm guessing Virgin Mobile don't do the Nano sim, am I right in thinking that seeming that they've only just started doing the micro sim I'll have to wait a while before they do the nano sim.

[BenMcr]

Yup, no phone VM offer needs a nano SIM, so it will be a while

[7031]

Hmm, time to start cutting up micro-SIMs? Both my iPhone and my iPad just have full sized SIMs that I cut down myself - the results weren't great but they work fine.

[Peter_]

Here is a picture of the 3 sizes make of it what you will.

[Matth]

Blimey, who's hairbrained idea was that!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subscriber_identity_module
Going from the "full size sim" - YES, they really WERE like a credit card size, to the current standard "mini Sim" was clearly a no brainer, and the full size is a dead standard unless you're a retro mobile collector.

The justification for even the "Micro" standard is questionable, and the Nano is just an excercise in making things difficult, just like having a new nonstandard accessory/power connector at a time when everybody should be using micro-USB.

[Jayster]

Originally Posted by Matth

Blimey, who's hairbrained idea was that!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subscriber_identity_module
Going from the "full size sim" - YES, they really WERE like a credit card size, to the current standard "mini Sim" was clearly a no brainer, and the full size is a dead standard unless you're a retro mobile collector.

The justification for even the "Micro" standard is questionable, and the Nano is just an excercise in making things difficult, just like having a new nonstandard accessory/power connector at a time when everybody should be using micro-USB.

You can thank apple for the micro sim, but hopefully the nano sim should be adopted by all with the micro sim being forgotten about.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Jayster

You can thank apple for the micro sim, but hopefully the nano sim should be adopted by all with the nano sim being forgotten about.

Did you actually read that post as it does not make sense.

[Jayster]

Originally Posted by Peter_

Did you actually read that post as it does not make sense.

Sorry, fixed now. It gets confusing when they start using these stupid names.

[qasdfdsaq]

Seeing as the current trend is to make phones bigger what's the freaking point of making pseudo-proprietary new shrunk SIM standards every blooming year or two?

It just serves to annoy those of us who have multiple phones and like to swap SIMs around - now I'll need to carry 3 adapters once people start adopting nano-SIMs, saving no bloody space whatsoever.

[BenMcr]

Although the phones get taller and wider, they are also getting thinner. So the small SIM cards allow more compact innards.

Same reason why most phones went from mini SD to micro SD - it's not just about the size of the card itself, but how big the holder is for it.

Hopefully though it'll stay fairly stable now, as the only next step I can seem them taking is an emulated SIM (which Apple did want to do at one point). Can't see the networks agreeing to that

[Stephen]

In the USA they still have one or two networks running on the CDMA system which doesn't require a SIM at all. A bit like the mobile networks here when first launched.

Nano SIM I agree is just another annoyance.

[jono_h]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Although the phones get taller and wider, they are also getting thinner. So the small SIM cards allow more compact innards.

But the sim cards aren't getting any thinner, so a nano-sim won't help, and as said above phones are getting bigger, giving more space for the innards.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by jono_h

But the sim cards aren't getting any thinner, so a nano-sim won't help, and as said above phones are getting bigger, giving more space for the innards.

True, but a small SIM and holder allows there to be more flexibility where within the available space it sits.

handset makers will want to have as little air within the phone as possible. Smaller components across the board help them do that

[jono_h]

And having a think about it, I can see your point about thinner; a smaller sim would allow another component to be slimmed down to fit into the space.

Sorry Ben!

[BenMcr]

Some interesting stuff about the nano SIM here http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/18/nano_sim/