New Apple Micro SIM plans set to stop iPhone 5 unlocks?

Apple’s Micro SIM has been frustrating hackers ever since it was first thrust into the iPhone, but now it looks as though things are set to get worse for the Jailbreak posse. According to a rumour that’s been confirmed by an Orange spokesperson, Apple is looking into a way to shed yet more weight from their SIM cards in time for the iPhone 5 release.

SIM cards as we know them have been the same since the early 2000s. They’ve not moved with the times, which is something that Apple has already challenged with its Micro SIMs.

However, while the Apple Micro SIM is merely a normal SIM minus some unnecessary plastic, this rumoured card would be a complete redesign of the old tech, in order to both slim things down and improve signal. The rumours indicated that it could be finalised in time for the iPhone 5’s release later this year.

Why would this frustrate hackers? Simple (no pun intended): anyone looking to unlock an iPhone 4 can simply use another network’s SIM. A newly designed, Apple-only Micro-SIM would be built for a device that would only support that SIM, therefore stopping users from jailbreaking and ramming any network’s card into the phone.

Is this a step forward for industrial design or a fiddly waste of time? Let us know on the Gadget Helpline Twitter feed.