In the last twenty years, SIM cards have been reduced twice in size, and now when buying a new phone you have to pay attention to what type of SIM cards it uses. In this article, we will talk about what types and sizes of SIM cards Apple uses in its smartphones.
History of Appearance
The very first mobile phones did not have SIM cards and used a permanent number as an identifier in the cellular network. This approach did not suit either the first cellular operators or the users themselves. There was an idea about the need to create another system for identifying subscribers, which would be convenient for everyone, which led to the development of SIM cards. The legacy of the first identification technologies in modern cellular phones is the unique IMEI number. It is assigned to each phone at the time of manufacture and does not change during its lifetime.
Technologically, a SIM card is a mini-computer. It has its own processor, file system and memory, permanent and operational. For security purposes, the card has a built-in user data encryption system. The capabilities of this miniature computer chip are used by cellular network operators to create various types of embeddedmenu.
Types and sizes
In total, three standard sizes of replaceable subscriber identification modules (SIMs) are used:
- Mini SIM (25 x 15 x 0.76).
- Micro SIM (15 x 12 x 0.76).
- Nano SIM (2 x 9 x 0.65).
The dimensions in this listing correspond to length, width, thickness and are in millimeters.
The main type of card used since 1996 is mini-sim. Micro-sims have been produced since 2004 and are also quite widespread. The most recent type developed is the nano-sim. It appeared in 2012 and is used in many modern smartphone models.
The size of the cards is related to the dimensions of the mobile devices themselves. Reducing the thickness of phones and the internal space in the case caused manufacturers to change the type of SIM card. Micro-sim, which means "small" or "reduced", was first used by Apple. The new standard size was used in the iPhone 4. While maintaining the parameters of the main chip, the card lost the plastic substrate surrounding it. For some time, thanks to the preserved thickness and basic functionality, the mini-sim was simply "cut" to the required size.
Mobile operators eventually adapted to the set of available types of cards, and now, when purchasing a SIM card in any salon, you get it in the form of a kind of "matryoshka". All three sizes are presented on one plate and are separated only by slots, thanks to which you can easily select the right one. Atthe need to use an old smartphone model with a new SIM card, the outer shells of this “matryoshka” act as an adapter, since the control chip contains only the “nano” size.
iPhone and SIM cards
For many years being a trendsetter and trendsetter in the mobile industry, the "apple company" has always been the first to use a new type of SIM cards. As we already know, the fourth model of the iPhone led to the appearance of the "micro" size. A few years later, Apple again changed the type of SIM card. In the iPhone 5S, as in all smartphones of this company, starting from the "five" and ending with the "seven", only the "nano" size is used.
Thus, all modern iPhone models use a single SIM card standard. The obsolete but still used iPhone 4 and 4S will require a "micro" application, and for completely original instances, which include 3 and 3G - "mini". The situation is similar with the tablets of this company. All information about the used SIM cards can be found on the Apple technical support page.
In conclusion
After studying our material, you have received the necessary minimum knowledge about SIM cards, their types, sizes and use in Apple devices.
