Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Is Apple developing a carrier-hopping SIM to liberate the iPhone?

Molly McHugh
By

iphone-4Speculation that Apple is in talks to drop carrier distribution and sell the iPhone directly to consumers is circulating the Web this morning. GigaOm first reported the rumor, claiming that European sources know Apple to be in the process of creating a SIM card that can hop from carrier to carrier, potentially enabling users to purchase iPhones from the Apple Store (including the online store) and use the App Store to choose from among available GSM carriers. Apple is allegedly partnering with SIM card manufacturer Gemalto to develop the technology.

So what exactly would this mean for (at the moment, European) consumers? First, it could save new iPhone users a trip or call to their carriers to get the specific SIM card. Second, users could roam more freely, potentially hopping between multiple networks on a whim. The European cell phone carrier market is much more competitive, and multiple providers carry the iPhone, so this could be a blessing for consumers, and a death sentence for retailers.

Recommended Videos

The possibility of this succeeding in the US is less likely. For the time being, the iPhone is exclusive with AT&T, and even on that network, buying an iPhone without a contract triples the price of the phone. But if Apple can make this succeed overseas, it’s covering some new territory that other cell phone developers might start considering.

Related

If selling phones independent of carriers sounds familiar, it’s because Google planned to implement a similar plan with its short-lived Nexus One phone. Lukewarm reviews ultimately killed the phone, but consumer confusion over support issues (“My phone doesn’t work. Do I contact Google or T-Mobile?”) helped highlight the problems associated with peddling phones independently from carriers.

Ultimately, it wouldn’t be a bad thing for consumers, creating competition for your business. On the other hand, retailers – primarily international ones – should be nervous. Either way, don’t expect Apple to execute this Stateside anytime soon.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Molly McHugh
Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
3 reasons why I’ll actually use Anker’s new iPhone power bank
A person holding the Anker MagGo Power Bank.

Power banks are a necessary evil, and even if you don’t consider yourself a “power user” who's likely to drain a phone’s battery in less than a day, there will be times when one comes in handy. And when I am forced to carry one, I want it to be as helpful and versatile as possible.

I’ve been trying Anker’s MagGo Power Bank 10K -- meaning it has a 10,000mAh cell inside it -- and there are three reasons why I'm OK with it taking up valuable space in my bag.
It has a screen on it

Read more
Here’s how Apple could change your iPhone forever
An iPhone 15 Pro Max laying on its back, showing its home screen.

Over the past few months, Apple has released a steady stream of research papers detailing its work with generative AI. So far, Apple has been tight-lipped about what exactly is cooking in its research labs, while rumors circulate that Apple is in talks with Google to license its Gemini AI for iPhones.

But there have been a couple of teasers of what we can expect. In February, an Apple research paper detailed an open-source model called MLLM-Guided Image Editing (MGIE) that is capable of media editing using natural language instructions from users. Now, another research paper on Ferret UI has sent the AI community into a frenzy.

Read more
There’s a big problem with the iPhone’s Photos app
The Apple iPhone 15 Plus's gallery app.

While my primary device these days continues to be my iPhone 15 Pro, I’ve dabbled with plenty of Android phones since I’ve been here at Digital Trends. One of my favorite brands of phone has been the Google Pixel because of its strong suite of photo-editing tools and good camera hardware.

Google first added the Magic Eraser capability with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, which is a tool I love using. Then, with the Pixel 8 series, Google added the Magic Editor, which uses generative AI to make edits that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. There are also tools like Photo Unblur, which is great for old photographs and enhancing images that were captured with low-quality sensors.

Read more