New German Apple Store, nano-SIM arrivals hint at iPhone
updated 10:38 am EDT, Tue September 4, 2012
Stuttgart store due on September 20th?
A pair of developments involving Germany appear to point to an impending iPhone release. Most notably, a future Apple Store in a mall in Sindelfingen -- located near Stuttgart -- has reportedly had its opening moved up to Thursday, September 20th, from a previous launch date on September 22nd. Earlier this year Apple brought forward the opening of the Highland Village Apple Store in Houston, Texas, a decision which accurately predicted the launch of the third-generation iPad. Rumors have a new iPhone being announced on September 12th, and shipping on the 21st.
Carrier Deutsche Telekom, meanwhile, is said to be distributing nano-SIM cards to its partners. Letters included with the cards say they are intended for "the latest generation of smartphones," but the new iPhone is expected to be one of the first devices to switch to nano-SIM, and perhaps the most prominent. Current-generation smartphones such as the iPhone 4S typically rely on micro-SIMs, which while smaller than the original SIM format are still slightly larger than the nano. An Apple nano-SIM design was made standard by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute in June.
