A SIM card is the primary component of a cellular phone, without which it is not possible to use basic facilities like calling and texting. The SIM card stores all the information of the user of the cell phone such as the mobile number, contacts, name, location, etc. There are different versions of SIM cards now available in the market. These versions have been developed over time. They have different sizes and different capacities to store data in them.
The oldest version of these SIM cards was called the standard SIM cards. Later, a new version was developed called mini-SIM card which was smaller. After the mini-SIM card, the next generation SIM called micro-SIM card was designed, which was even smaller in size. Now the latest version is known as a nano-SIM card, which is the smallest of all the previous ones.
What is Micro-SIM?
Micro-SIM cards are considered third-generation SIM cards. They have been reduced from mini-SIM cards by trimming their additional plastic edges around the circuit. Introduced in 2003, these cards aren’t much used now due to the development of more advanced nano-SIM technology.
Although the length and breadth of the micro-SIM card were reduced as compared to mini-SIM and standard SIM cards, the thickness of 0.76 mm remains the same in all three generations. The length and width were reduced to save more space on the device for accommodating more physical parts in the device.
What is Nano-SIM?
Nano-SIM cards are the smallest SIM cards specifically suitable for the latest versions of smartphones and Wi-Fi cellular devices. Introduced in 2012, nano-SIM cards quite swiftly replaced micro-SIM cards due to the rapid advancement in cellular technology.
Nano SIM cards are trimmed down from Micro-SIM cards to save space in handsets. They are trimmed so much that only the golden portion remains, with merely enough area of plastic edge around it to provide an area of insulation to avert the risk of short-circuiting. It was done so that two small SIM slots can be created to provide the benefit of having two nano-SIM cards in place of one.
Nano SIM cards have two sections in their storage system. One section is for storing system information and the other section is for storing user information.
Major Differences between Micro and Nano SIM Card
- Size and shape: There are only a few differences between the two cards. The main difference is size, but there is no difference in the space provided. A micro SIM card is bigger in size than a nano SIM card.
- Dimensions: A micro SIM card has dimensions of 15×12×0.76 mm, while a nano SIM card has dimensions of 12.3×8.8×0.67 mm.
- Generation: Micro SIM is known as 3FF (3 Form Factors). This is the third generation of cellular chips. On the other hand, nano SIM is called 4FF (4 Form Factors) which is the fourth generation of cellular chips.
- Interconversion: Micro SIMs can be converted into nano SIMs easily. All you need is a SIM cutter to cut the microchip into the size of nano chips. This helps you a lot if you want to use a phone compatible with nano SIMs. But, nano SIMs are not that easy to convert into micro SIMs. Nano SIMs can only be converted into micro SIMs with the help of a separate object called an adapter.
- Chain: Micro SIM card was introduced in the year 2003 though it was first used in 2010 in iPhone 4 series. Micro SIMs are getting obsolete as most of the companies are moving towards nanotechnology due to rapid technological advancements. Nano SIM card was introduced in an advanced technological era of 2012. But there is a flip side of the coin. Nanotechnology might last even shorter than micro because of the introduction of embedded SIM cards.
- Thickness: Micro SIM cards are as thick as previous versions of SIM cards, i.e. standard SIM cards and mini SIM cards. But the thickness of nano SIM cards is reduced by 15% compared to micro SIM cards. This is done to give more space in the mobile phone body for some other features. Micro SIMs are 0.76 mm thick, while nano SIMs are 0.67 mm.
Sum Up
Overall, this article explains the differences between the two major types of SIM cards widely used in today’s time. Cell phones have become a very essential part of human being’s lives now. That’s why it is very important to have a clear-cut idea of how the SIM card is a vital component for any cell phone user.
As the years went by, SIM cards have developed a lot. As they keep developing, they keep on becoming more compact than the previous versions. The two most commonly used SIM cards today are Micro-SIM and Nano-SIM cards. This article helps you to get a clear idea of how they are different from each other in terms of size, features, versions, etc.
In short, they are both not just dissimilar in size. There are constraints on how nano-SIM cards can’t be easily remodeled into micro-SIM cards without the help of objects like adapters. But, micro-SIM cards can be easily shaped into nano-SIM cards when you want to upgrade to a high-end phone. Nowadays, nano-SIM cards and micro SIM cards are attached to the mini-SIM cards, which can be easily snapped out. This is known as Combo SIM as all three types of cards can be used as per the requirement.