Editing SIM card (section)

=== {{anchor|3FF}}Micro-SIM ===
The ''micro-SIM'' (or 3FF) card has the same thickness and contact arrangements, but reduced length and width as shown in the table above.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foned.co.uk/mobile-news/what-is-a-microsim-card|title=What is a microsim card?|publisher=Foned.nl|access-date=14 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222172411/http://simonlypro.nl/what-is-a-microsim-card-en/|archive-date=22 February 2013}}</ref>

The micro-SIM was introduced by the [[ETSI|European Telecommunications Standards Institute]] (ETSI) along with SCP, [[3GPP]] (UTRAN/GERAN), [[3rd Generation Partnership Project 2|3GPP2]] (CDMA2000), [[Association of Radio Industries and Businesses|ARIB]], [[GSMA|GSM Association]] (GSMA SCaG and GSMNA), GlobalPlatform, [[Liberty Alliance]], and the [[Open Mobile Alliance]] (OMA) for the purpose of fitting into devices too small for a mini-SIM card.<ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://docbox.etsi.org//Workshop/2006/Salud%20Mexico/Gaby%20Lenhart%20-%20CENETEC_2006_04.ppt|title=The Smart Card Platform|publisher=ETSI Technical Committee Smart Card Platform (TB SCP)|date=1 April 2006|access-date=30 January 2010|author=Gaby Lenhart|quote=SCP is co-operating on both technical and service aspects with a number of other committees both within and outside the telecommunications sector.|archive-date=24 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824063005/http://docbox.etsi.org//Workshop/2006/Salud%20Mexico/Gaby%20Lenhart%20-%20CENETEC_2006_04.ppt|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2358489,00.asp|title=Inside the iPad Lurks the 'Micro SIM'|magazine=[[PC Magazine]]|date=27 January 2010|access-date=30 January 2010|last1=Segan|first1=Sascha}}</ref>

The form factor was mentioned in the December 1998 3GPP SMG9 [[UMTS]] Working Party, which is the standards-setting body for GSM SIM cards,<ref name=":6">{{cite web|url=http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/TSG_T/WG3_USIM/TSGT3_01/docs/t3-99003.pdf|title=DRAFT Report of the SMG9 UMTS Working Party, meeting #7 hosted by Nokia in Copenhagen, 15–16 December 1998|publisher=[[3GPP]]|date=25 January 1999|access-date=27 January 2010|quote=One manufacturer stated that it may be difficult to meeting ISO mechanical standards for a combined ID-1/micro-SIM card.|archive-date=23 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823233353/http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/TSG_T/WG3_USIM/TSGT3_01/docs/t3-99003.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and the form factor was agreed upon in late 2003.<ref name="SmartCardTrends">{{cite web|url=http://www.smartcardstrends.com/det_atc.php?idu=287 |title=New form factor for smart cards introduced |publisher=SmartCard Trends |date=8 December 2003 |access-date=30 January 2010 |last1=Antipolis |first1=Sophia |quote=The work item for the so-called Third Form Factor, "3FF", was agreed, after intensive discussions, at the SCP meeting held last week in London. |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426104206/http://www.smartcardstrends.com/det_atc.php?idu=287 |archive-date=26 April 2010 }}</ref>

The micro-SIM was designed for backward compatibility. The major issue for backward compatibility was the contact area of the chip. Retaining the same contact area makes the micro-SIM compatible with the prior, larger SIM readers through the use of plastic cutout surrounds. The SIM was also designed to run at the same speed (5&nbsp;MHz) as the prior version. The same size and positions of pins resulted in numerous "How-to" tutorials and YouTube videos with detailed instructions how to cut a mini-SIM card to micro-SIM size.

The chairman of EP SCP, Klaus Vedder, said<ref name="SmartCardTrends" />

{{blockquote|ETSI has responded to a market need from ETSI customers, but additionally there is a strong desire not to invalidate, overnight, the existing interface, nor reduce the performance of the cards.}}

Micro-SIM cards were introduced by various mobile service providers for the launch of the original iPad, and later for smartphones, from April 2010. The [[iPhone 4]] was the first smartphone to use a micro-SIM card in June 2010, followed by many others.<ref>{{cite web | last=Grubb | first=Ben | title=Review: Nokia's button-less N9 smartphone | website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | date=2011-10-26 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/review-nokias-buttonless-n9-smartphone-20111026-1mj0x.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112033818/https://www.smh.com.au/technology/review-nokias-buttonless-n9-smartphone-20111026-1mj0x.html | archive-date=2020-11-12 | url-status=live | access-date=2025-03-20 | quote= It's also one of the first smartphones to use a micro-SIM, something Apple introduced with its iPhone 4.}}</ref>