Phones are getting slimmer and sleeker every day, phones like the Galaxy line up and even some Motorola phones are becoming so thin that some people need phone cases just to bulk up the phone to make it easier to grip. Now, ARM might have a solution to make smartphones and other devices even smaller by incorporating SIM cards into the processor of the device.
The company is proposing iSIM, which will take up a fraction of a millimetre squared. It will not only save space but cost much lesser to manufacturer compared to physical SIM cards. Don’t get your hopes up yet because this technology will only be used in small Internet of Things devices like wireless sensors that need cellular data to generate reports. It will be slow for telco companies to adopt the iSIM, as they already have a working alternative called eSIM which measures only 6 x 5mm and is used in some tablets and the latest Google Pixel phones.
However, ARM believes that telcos will jump on board with the iSIM idea as they believe that telcos are interested to see more IoT devices connected to their network which equates to more customers. ARM which does not manufacture the chips, has sent the design to their partners and is expecting the chips by the end of the year.
