European Carriers Stockpiling Nano-SIMS for iPhone 5 Launch

[Maura]

9to5 Mac reports that according to a story in the Financial Times today, mobile phone carriers in Europe are stockpiling mini SIMs designed to be used in Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 5. Several recent clues have pointed to Apple starting to use mini, or “nano”-SIMs, including Apple’s nano-SIM design being chosen by the ETSI, plus the smaller SIM-card slot that has been revealed in various leaked images of the next iPhone. The Financial Times report seems to pretty much confirm that the next iPhone will have a nano-SIM slot, saying that it has heard from two sources that mobile carriers in Europe have started stockpiling millions of nano-SIM cards in warehouses, so as not to be caught out by a big rush on the SIMs when Apple launches the next iPhone. The FT adds that previously, carriers have been caught out by Apple introducing a new SIM, such as the iPhone 4s micro SIM, without letting them know beforehand, leading to them not having enough to keep up with the massive demand in the first few weeks that the phone goes on sale, something they’re hoping to avoid this time around.

Source:
Report: European carriers placing nano-SIM orders in anticipation of next-gen iPhone launch | 9to5Mac | Apple Intelligence