The SIM card as we know it is about to die. Apple and Samsung are in talks with mobile carriers to develop and implement a new sort of SIM that will help users to switch easily between service providers. Reportedly, they want to develop an embedded SIM (e-SIM) that would remain inside the phone and allow users to switch service providers without getting a new card. If this technology sees the light of day, you would no longer have to swap cards to switch phones or carriers.
Apple has always expressed their extreme dislike for SIM cards and has been exploring options in embedded and non-removable SIMs for quite some time now. Last year, it introduced LTE iPads that included an Apple SIM which offered people a choice to switch carriers when they liked. If embedded SIMs proves to be a successful venture, then you should expect future smartphones to be even slimmer. The new standard is expected to be released in 2016. However, don’t expect the SIM card to disappear entirely. It may take some time before the e-SIM is introduced.
It would be interesting to see the response to the e-SIM, as big names in the service provider business are unlikely to embrace it. Smaller companies will most likely see this as a chance to lure away their competitors customers!
Would you prefer an e-SIM card? Let us know in the comment section below.
