Wow this is a serious game changer, I was thinking about this the other day. I would be great to be able to turn off and on a sim card in your smartphone. So if you were using an iPhone and wanted to use your Android phone you just turned the iPhone sim off and used your android phone without having to call and de-activate it everytime.
Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
81–90 of 191 posts
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#82Apple filed a patent on this Virtual SIM card in 2011. More info here:
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2011/11/apple-in...
The linked article suggests it's a method to save space in the hardware design so the SIM is not user serviceable. However, it also forces you to only buy data service from Apple approved carriers. Notice in the screen shot from the OP's article that Cricket or any of the more affordable MVNO's are not available as options.
This change is just as much about control over where you spend your carrier dollars (and, possibly, Apple getting a kickback) as it is about saving space.
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
Hm. In here, we don't have separate packages for separate carriers. For all 3 major carriers, you just get your phone and in a separate envelope, you get your SIM card.
And that's why you get a SIM pick tool. In US you just get a phone with everything pre installed and sim tool :). So this thing does make it easier for Apple and a bit more convenient for users
correction: pre installed and NO sim tool
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#84When I was in Thailand, one carrier had the ability to co-opt my China unicom SIM and provide service there. I don't think my SIM was a soft one, I think they were actually co-opting the numbers!
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#85Why not have a phone with three SIM card slots? Avoid the kickback from the carrier to Apple.
There a lots of dual-SIM phones and they've been available for a long time. http://www.phonearena.com/search/section/new-phones/term/dua... But maybe not in the US...
They are quite common in the developing world on low end phones. It is not a high-end feature, for sure.
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
shrug Just paid $750 for an iPhone 6, unlocked. The alternative was renting it from my carrier for a similar amount, divided into 24 months, and being handcuffed to them for unlocks and the like. By using BYOD pricing on my ATT plan, I pay less every month than I would on a subsidy. Yeah, I'm not everyone , but arguing that "most people" won't do what I did is kind of missing the point-- they already DO pay that much…
Same here. I'm on AT&T, but bought an unlocked Verizon iPhone 6. I may not end up switching carriers in the next two years, but it's nice to have the extra flexibility for the same price I'd end up paying if I went with subsidized or Next plans.
How do you go about buying a Verizon iPhone 6 outright? Do you do that at a Verizon store, or can Apple sell that to you?
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#87Interesting they don't mention Verizon. They do mention that participating carriers are subject to change though, so presumably they can add (or delete) carriers from the device.
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's totally weird to me. I don't want to say it from a position of superiority or anything, just different mobile culture, but in here, changing SIM cards is normal. It's what you do when you buy a new phone, because - as I said below - you get a SIM card separately, even when you buy it right with the operator with the contract. But I guess it's a different culture
Different cultures for sure. I've had 5 mobile phones...some candybar in the early 00's, a flip phone in the mid 00's, and iphone 3g, 4s, and now 6. I've never even /seen/ a sim card in person. It's a piece of tech that I shouldn't have to every even know exists. I just want my phone to work. I shouldn't have to play around with a microscopic piece of plastic and metal for that to happen.
It's a piece of tech that I shouldn't have to every even know exists. I just want my phone to work.
I see it the opposite way. Every phone should have a part in it that is removable and replaceable and ensures that you can do whatever you want with your device. I was staggered when I found out that some US CDMA devices are literally unusable without the permission of the company you originally had service with.
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
Different cultures for sure. I've had 5 mobile phones...some candybar in the early 00's, a flip phone in the mid 00's, and iphone 3g, 4s, and now 6. I've never even /seen/ a sim card in person. It's a piece of tech that I shouldn't have to every even know exists. I just want my phone to work. I shouldn't have to play around with a microscopic piece of plastic and metal for that to happen.
Hm. Interesting. If you want to buy a new phone and keep your number.... what do you do? Well I guess you can just ask in the store to move it to the new one, that's true. It's just... strange.
You don't ask, they hand you a phone and it just works.
Re: Apple Built A SIM Card That Lets You Switch Between AT&T, Sprint, And T-Mobile
#90Earlier quoted context omitted.
There a lots of dual-SIM phones and they've been available for a long time. http://www.phonearena.com/search/section/new-phones/term/dua... But maybe not in the US...
They are quite common in the developing world on low end phones. It is not a high-end feature, for sure.
People with loads of money just buy two phones? ;-)
You're right, but it does feature in some higher-end phones http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Lenovo-Vibe-Z2_id8895