SIM cards and iPhones
Photo credit:Â http://www.flickr.com/photos/v4idas/
All of us are used to plastic SIM cards in every mobile phone, smartphone, iPhone, iPad, etc... It is obvious there must be a plastic SIM card, right?
The SIM cards have become smaller recently, but the GSM service is still somehow separate from the hardware itself. Is it really the only right way that things can work? Why oh why I have to take care of it on my own...
You can meet this case in everyday life, anywhere you go. You buy a car, but you have to replenish fluids and additionally get some gasoline to keep it running.
You buy a TV, but you have to sign contract with some television provider. Without that, your TV is useless.
It reminds me a funny story of myself. I ordered a television service from the biggest television-platform in Poland. I was reassured by professional customer helpdesk that the only thing I need that is not included in the box is a HDMI cable. It was okay, because I could simply buy an HDMI cable in any shop so I agreed.
Two days later a courier brought the box. Happiness! I unpacked a kind of modem for TV, connected it with TV via new HDMI cable. And connected to Home Theater set as well. I switched the whole set on, but surprisingly there were no television channels on the screen available. I went through the installation manual again and found out that I have to buy on my own a satellite antenna, a signal converter, a solid metal handle and somehow attach it to the exterior wall of my house.
Believe me or not, but I am not a TV expert. I am just an internet guy, without access to traditional TV for ages. I wanted to have television and didn't get what I ordered. I was shocked, frustrated and felt cheated. I spent a week and became a master of satellite video broadcasting so feel free to call me if you need to fix a satellite antenna.
The point is that as a consumer, I expected the television provider to deliver what a wanted. I wanted to watch TV. So please, dear provider, give it to me and take my money!
One day, the same should happen to GSM, including mobile phones and the telematics. There won't be separation of hardware from the service. And there will be no more plastics SIM cards. But wait. Isn't it possible yet?
It is possible. The technology of SIM-less GSM is here since ever. What is more, nowadays there is a bunch of data brokers on the market. These are companies that buy data-plans from local network operators and resell them to companies like Cloud Your Car. Take a look at Kindle. It just works. Let's name them - m2mAir, recently backed by Telit Wireless or M2M Allnet.
At Cloud Your Car, we assumed that the SIM-less access is a must, because it is a pure zen for your product. You need it like air to breath. It is simplicity, improved durability, wider operating temperature range, better shock resistance.
And the most important - it just works.
My conclusion is the market will be slowly shifting to SIM-less technology but this process will take lots of time. Mostly because Telematics market is driven by old, boring companies with no innovation. And there are not so many startups, the nests of innovation, on the whole global GSM market.
