ARM iSIM (SIM card format)

SIM card

Main article: SIM card

2022: Qualcomm introduced SIM card in processor

In mid-January 2022, Qualcomm, together with Vodafone and Thales, demonstrated a working smartphone with an integrated SIM card iSIM. The technology allows you to embed the functions of a SIM card directly into the processor, its demonstration took place in Samsung research laboratories using the Vodafone remote control platform.

iSIM technology can be attractive for manufacturers of technically advanced smartphones and tablets, since when it is used in the gadget case it will be possible to free up a little more free space. This will allow engineers to make mobile devices and other gadgets even thinner and more compact. With the introduction of the iSIM, it will also allow to place even more elements useful for the technical characteristics of the device under the body of the devices. Also, the use of technology in laptops for uninterrupted access to 5G networks is not excluded.

Qualcomm introduced SIM card in processor

Our goal is to create a world in which each device easily and simply connects to each other, and the client has complete control. iSIM, combined with our remote management platform, is an important step in this direction, allowing devices to be connected without a physical SIM card or special chip, making the connection to multiple objects a reality. This will allow our customers to enjoy the convenience of using several accounts on one device, and from the point of view of the operator, will help eliminate the need for individual SIM cards and additional plastic that they consume. We will continue to work closely with Samsung, Qualcomm and Thales to develop further applications for this technology and accelerate its commercialization, "said Vodafone Chief Commercial Officer Alex Froment-Curtil.

To demonstrate the capabilities of the iSIM, a specially modified Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone with a Snapdragon 888 5G processor was used. Nothing is known about the date the technology entered the serial market. This event opens the way to commercialization of technology that can be implemented in many new devices that use iSIM to connect to mobile services.^[1]

2018: Announcement of the iSIM

In February 2018, ARM Holdings announced iSIM technology, which involves embedding a SIM card in a mobile processor.

Nano SIM cards, which have become essentially the standard for modern phones, have dimensions of 12.3 x 8.8 mm, and also require a special slot or tray. ARM says the iSIM will take "an area of ​ ​ less than one square millimeter."

In addition to saving space, the new technology should be cheaper: instead of paying "tens of cents" for each "Sim," manufacturers will be able to limit themselves to an order of magnitude less, the report said.

ARM has built SIM cards into mobile processors

The developers also note the security of the technology, expressed in that all data  in the new type of SIM cards are stored in a special secure place. In addition, owners of devices with iSIM will be able to change the operator, which could not be done in equipment  with eSIM cards. The latter are 6 x 5 mm in size and are increasingly found in smartphones and tablets.

ARM expects that the iSIM will eventually become in demand among telecom operators, since the technology meets the most demanding standards and is suitable for use in the Internet of Things market. Cellular companies are increasingly paying attention to this market, since it has great potential to grow the subscriber base.

ARM does not have factories, so it does not independently produce the chips being developed. By the end of February 2018, the company began sending partners trial samples of iSIM chips, hoping for the appearance of these products in the commercial market by the end of the year. Telecommunications giants such as BT, SoftBank and Sprint showed interest in the development.

Slots for SIM cards have long remained a problem for smartphone manufacturers. Due to the high competition in the  market, every extra millimeter is important, but  the bulky component did not  allow companies to radically change the hardware of the devices. iSIM can bring new phone designs to the market, the company is confident.^[2]

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