Nokia, Apple Squabbles Delay SIM Card Ruling

A decision regarding the next format for mobile Sim cards has been delayed after negotiations over patents ground to a halt, French media has reported.

Apple and Nokia, along with other manufacturers, are locked in dispute over proposals for a new “nano-Sim”.

Nokia has threatened to withhold crucial patents if Apple’s proposal is adopted, arguing that it does not comply with required specifications.

The ruling has been postponed until the end of June.

All firms want to secure the new format to keep up with devices which are getting ever smaller and slimmer.

The nano-Sim will be at least a third smaller than the micro-Sim commonly found in today’s smartphones.

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (Etsi) is the body responsible for setting the global standard for the format.

By polling its membership – which consists of telecoms providers and manufacturers – it aims to reach a consensus over the ideal standards for future technologies.

However, views over which nano-Sim should be adopted have divided the industry, resulting in the vote postponement, Les Echos reports.

In one corner, Apple has proposed its own card which it said it will offer on a royalty-free basis to other manufacturers.

In the other, Nokia offers a different card which it said is 23% smaller and is they say more in line with Etsi’s specific requirements.

Read more at BBC News.

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