Here’s some more info to throw into the already overspilling iPhone 5 rumour mill: France Telecom CEO Stephane Richard has said Apple have agreed with mobile networks to use a smaller SIM card, thus making the next iPhone much smaller and thinner.
Before we get started, let’s assess the legitimacy of this rumour. France Telecom is a group which includes networks (including Orange) who sell the iPhone in no less than 15 countries. They are the second biggest iPhone network, behind US giant AT&T. For their CEO to be saying such things surely gives the rumour a fair bit of substance!
Richard says that both Apple and their chosen mobile networks have reached a compromise on the new SIM card size which will be used in the next-generation iPhone. Other Orange executives have even confirmed that Apple have submitted their newly designed SIM card to be tested and approved by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.
When asked about the new SIM technology, Stephane said: “We are going to work with them in order to standardize a new format of SIM which takes into account our needs with security and authentication and also is compatible with their wishes in terms of size,”
“I understood that the next iPhone would be smaller and thinner and they are definitely seeking some space,” he added.
There’s only one reason Apple would want to make the SIM card smaller – space saving. If a new SIM size can be approved, Apple would be able to go ahead and slim down the design of their next iPhone, possibly making it the slimmest iPhone to date.
We’re still not sure why the CEO of a multinational mobile network is leaking such information, but we’re grateful for the insight anyway. Just how thin will Apple make the iPhone 4G/5?
Via: Appleinsider