Apple has patented a virtual SIM card that, embedded in mobile phones, would take control of the device from the operator and give it to the manufacturer. Apple's plans became known in 2010 and some European operators then threatened to stop subsidizing Apple phones if the manufacturer applied the idea to its phones. Apple has not done so, but it is moving forward with its goals. The card would allow payment from the mobile phone with NFC technology, an operation in which control would also move away from the operators.
The patent describes an embedded module preloaded with validation credentials that would allow different operators to be chosen. The customer would go to the Apple store, iTunes, and choose the telephone company that would provide the service. The SIM card in the mobile phone is managed by the operator. Apple's alternative would mean that the authentication secrets, instead of being held by the operator, would be held by Apple. It is difficult to think that operators can give up this system that gives them precise information about their customers.
The news about SIM cards does not stop there. Giesecke & Devrient has presented a smaller card. The Nano-SIM. It measures 12x9x0,66 millimeters compared to the 15x12x0,76 millimeters measured by the MicroSIM, which represents a size reduction of 30%. It could be marketed in 2012 and would be carried by the future iPhone 5. An adapter would facilitate compatibility with old mobile phones.
Old iPod Nano with problems
In certain cases, the batteries in first-generation iPod Nanos may overheat, which may pose a safety risk. Apple has communicated this on its website and offers its replacement. These are units sold between September 2005 and December 2006.
According to Apple, "this problem is attributed to a single battery supplier that produced batteries with a manufacturing defect. Although the probability of incidents occurring is small, it increases with the age of the battery." The defect causes the device to overheat, which can render it unusable. Before proceeding with the replacement, Apple recommends saving a backup copy of the data