Apple iPhone, iPad, MacBook to Use Virtual SIM Soon?

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Apple is improving on the design of its mobile devices, and might soon render SIM cards obsolete. Apple has filed a patent for the use of a virtual SIM card in mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad and MacBook line of notebook computers.

According to Patently Apple, this new development will enable Apple to improve on its wireless technologies on two fronts. First, users will no longer have to purchase or install SIM cards when activating their mobile phones or switching mobile networks. Wireless network services can be purchased or acquired over-the-air. A second benefit is that Apple’s designers can create thinner iDevices, due to the reduction in internal mobile components.

Apple also argues that maintaining SIM cards can be costly for telecommunications providers, since SIM card inventories have to be managed and distributed. Apple’s proposal for a virtual SIM involves an embedded Secure Element, which is an equivalent of the SIM, although non-removable. With this new system, Apple can essentially bypass carriers when selling the iPhone. Upon purchase users can choose their desired network using an application, which will then activate the virtual SIM with that network.

The device will also have a near-field communication (NFC) router, for communicating with other NFC-enabled devices or terminals. What’s interesting with the Apple patent is that they cite that the virtual SIM may be used on “a cellular telephone or smartphone, a table-top computer, laptop computer, or other suitable computing equipment,” which means Apple might have data-enabled iMacs and MacBook in the works. Additionally Apple’s terminology, particularly the use of “table-top” may be worth noting, since this implies that Apple is considering building cloud-based computers, with table-top terminals as the end-user interface.