Despite promising that it would provide its rivals with royalty-free licenses for its nano-SIM technology, Nokia still isn’t convinced by Apple’s proposal for the next-generation of miniaturized SIM cards. The Finnish company has already spoken out against the tiny SIM, but following Apple’s offer of free licensing yesterday, it has labelled the plan nothing more than an attempt to devalue the intellectual property of its rivals.
Apple has promised that if its nano-SIM proposal is adopted this week, it will allow rival smartphone vendors to license the technology for their own devices without having to pay royalties. The Cupertino company wants to reassure its competitors, and indeed the rest of the industry, that it is focused on simply establishing the nano-SIM standard, rather than making a profit from it.
But this has done little to appease Nokia. A spokesman for the company told IDG that it is unaware of any patents Apple holds for its nano-SIM proposal, and that “in light of this, Apple’s proposal for royalty-free licensing seems no more than an attempt to devalue the intellectual property of others.”
Another reason why rivals are against Apple’s proposal is that the nano-SIM would require smartphones to be re-engineered to accommodate its size. The benefits of this, however, are smaller, thinner devices. Furthermore, according to a recent report from The Verge, Apple’s design is “in many ways the least controversial” because it retains the existing configurations of electrical contacts.
A decision on Apple’s nano-SIM proposal will be made later this week.
[via AppleInsider]
