Nano-SIM Decision Delayed

judgecorp writes "The decision on the next generation of even-smaller SIM cards for phones and other devices has been delayed by standards body ETSI, and the issue (which should have been settled this week) is nowhere near resolution. Apple wants to trim the existing micro-SIM further, Nokia wants to move to something like a micro-SD card which may involve patents. Meanwhile RIM has complained about Apple's approach."

Fingers

[symes]

I'm struggling to handle these things with my fat fingers already. And devices are getting so small that you have to wonder whether, if we want any foorm of interaction, we are on the edge of small enough. Now capacity and power, pile it on.

Re:Slashdot hypocrites

[Anonymous Coward]

Or the people that see apple has done nothing to improve upon the current sim card design and would actually like to see advancement.

Re:Why a SIM?

[nurb432]

So you are not as locked into what your carrier wants to sell you.

Should also be mandated to be universal on all carriers/phones. ( and automatic unlocking when you have paid off your subsidy )

Re:Fuck Apple.

[DurendalMac]

Yeah, fuck Apple! They're trying to get a royalty-free standard for a tiny SIM card established! How dare they!

Re:Why do we even have SIM cards at all?

[nurb432]

Last time i heard they also store your contacts and things, so its not just read-only.

Re:Fuck Apple.

[DurendalMac]

I'm not saying that it isn't just a trimming of the normal SIM, but Christ, they probably could try to get royalties on it some way if they wanted to, which is sad, but that's the state of the business. Even if it is just a trimming, well, it's a smaller SIM, which means more room in smartphones for battery or other goodies. Sounds good to me.

Re:Fuck Apple.

[milkmage]

true, but it does make it so any FRAND licensing from the IP holders for current SIM tech becomes worthless.

http://www.fosspatents.com/2012/03/apples-us-patent-application-61481114.html [fosspatents.com]
As long as Nokia adheres to FRAND licensing obligations, the Finnish company's position that it wants to cash in on its SIM card-related patents is just as legitimate, from a shareholder value point of view, as Apple's proposal that everyone adopt a royalty-free standard. But Nokia's desire to monetize standard-essential patents is not in the public interest unless its proposal offers major advantages that offset the cost of licensing and the higher transaction cost (which in connection with FRAND patents sometimes involves litigation as I see all the time now).

Nokia could really use the money. no wonder they're fighting against it.. even pomoting their own "standard" which I'm sure they have no intentions of giving away. RIM is also against the nano-SIM - wonder why.. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-29/rim-earnings-sales-fall-short-as-blackberry-demand-wanes.html [bloomberg.com]