A patent recently granted to Apple just teased what could be a killer feature for the tech giant’s future flagship devices. On Tuesday, the U.S. Patent Office granted Apple Patent No. 9.521,563, which references a system that would allow future iPhones to control and access multiple SIM cards in one device. That’s right, iPhones might never get expandable storage, but it seems like Apple is at least willing to invest in Dual-SIM features in the future.
Dual-SIM technology has been around for some time, with industry rivals such as Samsung utilizing the feature from its entry-level devices to its flagship units. After all, the capability of a smartphone to simultaneously access two SIM cards at one time has tremendous advantages. While Apple is quite late to the dual-SIM party, the fact that the Cupertino-based tech giant is willing to explore the technology is very welcome news.
True to form, however, Apple’s Dual-SIM patent, which was filed April last year and granted this Tuesday, seems to refer to a technology that is quite unlike those currently utilized by the tech giant’s rivals in the smartphone industry. For one, Apple seems set on developing Dual-SIM technology that goes far beyond what the industry currently offers. If any, the patent granted to Apple would allow the tech firm to develop innovations that would allow iPhones to optimize the handling of traditional and future communication standards, according to a BGR report.
“Wireless communication systems are rapidly growing in usage. Further, wireless communication technology has evolved from voice-only communications to also include the transmission of data, such as Internet and multimedia content. As wireless communication systems evolve, successive generations of wireless communication technologies tend to be developed. Adoption of a new generation wireless technology may be a gradual process, during which one or more previous generations of a similar technology may co-exist with the new generation technology, e.g., for a period of time until the new generation wireless technology is fully deployed.”
With this in mind, it appears that Apple is attempting to future-proof its iPhones like never before. From what could be determined from the contents of the recently granted patent, Apple’s Dual-SIM technology seems to be designed to handle both 4G and 5G signals simultaneously. This is not all, however, as the tech giant seems to be exploring the idea of virtual SIM cards on future iPhones as well. This alone makes Apple’s Dual-SIM tech vastly different from those utilized by Samsung, Asus, Huawei, and other smartphone manufacturers.
“In some embodiments (such as when the smart card(s) 310 include an eUICC), one or more of the smart card(s) 310 may implement embedded SIM (eSIM) functionality; in such an embodiment, a single one of the smart card(s) 310 may execute multiple SIM applications. Each of the smart card(s) 310 may include components such as a processor and a memory; instructions for performing SIM/eSIM functionality may be stored in the memory and executed by the processor.”
The iPhone 8 is arguably Apple’s most important device in years. After seemingly hitting a plateau with the iPhone 6, the tech giant’s next two devices, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 7, have been met with mixed reviews from longtime Apple fans due to the devices’ identical appearance and incremental upgrades. If any, the iPhone 8 is the flagship smartphone that would enable Apple to put itself back on the map as a leader in smartphone innovation. While Dual-SIM technology has been around for years, its recent patent appears to suggest that the tech giant would be approaching the feature with a unique angle.
Of course, Apple’s Dual-SIM patent might not mean much, since the tech giant files numerous patents every year, and only a handful of them really do make it to the company’s devices. Thus, while the idea of the iPhone 8 having Dual-SIM features is interesting, there is a chance that the device might not be equipped with the technology at all. Then again, the fact that Apple is exploring the feature is indication enough that the tech giant is, after all these years, exploring new vistas once more. That, of course, translates to some very good news for iPhone owners.
[Featured Image by Hadrian/Shutterstock]
