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ARM wants mobile or IoT devices to include a tiny integrated SIM card:
Every millimeter of space matters when you're trying to build increasingly complex electronics into increasingly tiny packages, and the relatively spacious SIM card has long been an area of frustration for hardware manufacturers. Now, the chip design company ARM may have an answer: an integrated component called an iSIM that's built into the same chip as the processor.
ARM says the iSIM will take up a "fraction of a millimeter squared," whereas the current SIM standard — Nano SIMs — are about 12.3 x 8.8mm in size, not including the hardware usually needed to house them. Not only will that save space, but ARM says it'll more importantly save on costs, too: instead of paying "tens of cents" per card, manufacturers will be paying single-digital cents.
Also at CNET, Tom's Hardware, and Wccftech.
Related: Infineon Demos a 1.65 mm^2 eSIM Chip
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 22 2018, @06:50PM (1 child)
Except the SD card is, ideally, identical across devices and copied in bulk. Now each one will have to be have to be unique.
The same tech could have handled a software upgrade before by swapping a new SD card into the device. Now the SD card would have to be pre-programmed for that specific one with the sim card info, or each update is a manual thing on the device (and the SD card must be writable...)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 22 2018, @08:22PM
In other words, NextGen DRM.
I like modularity and modular components. This iSIM and the usecases and implementation ideas seem to be the contrary of it. Creating solutions for invented pdoblems. It is the same with phones with replacable batteries which are now almost nonexistent. Both of these things are devolutions only to the benefit of the vendor. Pissing on everyone's head but hey, they are courteus plenty because are calling it rain.