Nano-SIMs are being stockpiled by European networks
 

The following was reported in the Financial Times today but the link seems unreliable so I've copied and pasted below:

European mobile operators are stockpiling an innovative miniature Sim card designed for next generation smartphones for use in Apple’s eagerly awaited iPhone 5.

In one of the clearest signals yet of an impending launch, Apple’s European operator partners have begun to place multiple orders with chipmakers for a so-called “nano-Sim”, the only physical piece of the phone that is owned by the telecom networks.

Apple has not confirmed any forthcoming device but this has not dampened the rumours. The iPhone 5 has been linked with a launch in September or October this year, and there has been speculation about features including a bigger screen, a metal backing and the ability to run on 4G, or LTE, mobile data networks.

The tiny Sim cards, which have not yet been seen on the market, were the subject of a fierce battle between Apple and Nokia to control the design earlier this year. Apple’s proposal was given approval by the industry’s standards group, although other devices will be able to use the nano sim, which is much smaller than the existing micro sim used by many cutting edge smartphones.

Operators expect that the iPhone will feature the nano sim in a slimmed down design, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation, and have begun to store millions of the cards in warehouses in anticipation of high demand for Apple’s iPhone. Apple declined to comment.

Operators were caught off guard by the adoption of the micro Sim for the iPhone 4 as well as the original iPad two years ago, with some struggling to meet demand with their own micro-Sims in the first weeks of sale.

One informed person said that the major networks were keen to be ahead of demand this time, however. He added that the iPhone 5 was likely to be similar sized as the iPhone 4 although slimmer and with a fully metal body.

The nano-Sim, which is 40 per cent smaller than the micro-Sim, is expected to be adopted by other phonemakers over time as it allows for smaller handsets, although it is not expected to be used by Nokia this autumn in its latest Lumia handset that will run Microsoft’s revamped Windows 8 operating system.

Apple has also been in negotiations with some operators about the commercial terms of its sales agreements, which can cover areas such as the number of units ordered and sold. These talks are said to include the forthcoming launch of its phone, although typically span several years.

The use of the micro-Sim caused some controversy in the iPhone, given fears that this was a move by Apple to take greater control over the market, and these flared up again earlier this year when Nokia and Apple went to war over their rival designs for the nano sim.

My reaction is that it's really probably no big deal. People adapted when the micro-SIM came to be with cutters, adapters and templates that would let you use the new size SIM. Let's also not forget that the original SIMs most have been using for years is called a "min-SIM" and that the original SIM card was the size of a credit card (85.6 mm X 53.87 mm or 3-3/8" X 2-1/8") dimension.

The problem is that some SIM cards may be difficult to cut and may damage the chip. For example, I have a micro-SIM from MTS Belarus in which the unusually square-shaped chip takes up almost the whole surface. I fear that cutting it to a nano-SIM will cut right into the chip. Any ideas?

That's no problem. What you see on the surface of the SIM card are just electrical contacts which can be cut as long as the signitifcantly smaller chip below is not damaged. This x-ray image shows how small the actual chip is:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...y_contrast.jpg
I've actually cut almost my whole SIM collection to match the 3FF (third form factor = microSIM) and some also had these giant contacts.

However the bad thing about nanoSIMs (aka "4FF") is that you will not only need to cut the old formats to match this new format but you also need to file down half a milimeter as nanoSIMs are thinner.

I'd just like to say f*ck you to Apple for pushing yet another new SIM card size when the original one was a universal standard that was already small enough to fit any of the products that Apple has come out with.

As you can see from p. 12 of this presentation the initiative for nanoSIMs has also been supported by many large carriers which are aslo to blame for this new type of hardware SIMlock.

Thanks. I was really hoping that someone would reply with some positive news like that. I'd hate to have to get all my SIM cards replaced, particularly in places where they were a hassle to get in the first place.

Doesn't that depend on phone? It's possible that the next iPhone will allow a thicker SIM card. For example, I don't think the iPhone 4/4S would have a problem if the SIM card was slightly thicker, and the next iPhone will probably have a similar SIM tray.

interesting read
 

inquisitor, thank you for bringing this to our attention. I now know more about SIMs than I thought I would ever would. At least 4FF will be backward compatible. That a 2FF or 3FF would be forward compatible is probably asking too much.

Some peeking ahead to the next 5-10 years is to be found here.

Actually after realizing that the difference in thickness between 2FF/3FF and 4FF is 0.09mm (approximately the thickness of a human hair) I think even 2FF and 3FF SIM cards could be forward compatible to 4FF as you can cut them in height and width and, as NFH does, I also doubt SIM slots of 4FF phones will be manfactured with such high precision that this marginal difference in thickness of SIM cards will have an impact. Anyway I still dislike this new attempt of Apple and operators to establish some exclusivity and hinder people from swapping SIM cards between devices. The decrease in volume is a ridiculous argument I think.

I agree. This will just bring more headache to those of that switch sim cards between multiple devices. I am already using a freaking adapter to switch between my iphone4 and my other devices. Now, If I happen to get an iphone5, then it means another damn adapter in order to be able to switch between the iphone5 and other devices. Switching between iphone4 and iphone5 is another story!