Smaller SIM Card May Make iPhone Slimmer

Is the new iPhone going on a diet? It could be, because Apple has sent plans to reduce the size of its SIM card to create a slimmer smartphone, reports said today.

Apple reportedly sent the plans to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute last week, according to AppleInsider, and now the tinier SIM form factor is now de rigeur. At least, that's what Stephane Richard, the chief executive at France Telecom, a wireless carrier that supports iPhones in 15 different countries, said in an interview with AllThingsD. His remarks:

As you probably know, Apple has been working for years on reducing the size of SIM cards because they need space in the phone. They even thought about a device without any SIM card, that is what is known as the e-SIM project.

All of us told them it was a bad idea because the SIM card is a critical piece of the security and authentication process. It would be very difficult for a telco or carrier to manage the customer relationship. I think that they understood this point. We had a very constructive exchange and dialogue with them.

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.

SIM Cards are fairly small, so I'm thinking even a reduction in size, both width or height, would be almost microscopic. Would any average person be able to tell it was one-eighth of an ounce lighter or one-half of a decimeter thinner?

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