New smaller SIM format becomes standardized

The dust has settled on the SIM (subscriber identity module) battlefield, where companies the like of Apple, Motorola, Nokia and RIM have been vying to have their designs for a next-generation SIM turned into an industry standard. The winning design appears to be a compromise that should make all mobile device manufacturers happy, and the new standard was announced today by ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute).

The new design is 40 percent smaller than the existing micro-SIM standard, meaning that less room will be required in future devices. The new card can be used in existing devices when paired with a carrier frame. The size of the new card -- 12.3 mm x 8.8 mm -- is quite close to what Apple had suggested, and the thickness (.67 mm) is the same as previous iterations.

The standard was agreed upon at a meeting of ETSI in Osaka, Japan and the new smaller SIM design should start making its way into devices in the near future.

[via Engadget]