Source: iMore
What you need to know
- A new report claims Steve Jobs wanted one feature of the iPhone to be very different.
- According to former iPod VP Tony Fadell, Jobs didn't want the new iPhone to include a SIM card.
- Instead, he wanted to use CDMA to connect the iPhone to cell towers instead of GSM.
Apple's founder and former CEO Steve Jobs wanted the original iPhone to use CDMA instead of GSM technology so that the device didn't need a SIM card tray, according to former iPod VP Tony Fadell.
This week, Apple's former head of iPod took to the stage with Joanna Stern to promote his new book Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making at the Computer History Museum, as first noted by 9to5Mac.
Telling one story, Fadell revealed that Jobs wasn't a fan of the iPhone having a SIM card slot. Instead, he wanted it to be a seamless device stating "we don't want another hole in it."
According to Fadell, Jobs wanted Apple to use CDMA technology in its iPhone to connect to cell towers, rather than GSM. Fadell said that he had to convince Jobs that CDMA adoption simply wasn't widespread enough to be sustainable for the iPhone. While Apple did get round to a CDMA iPhone 4, the SIM tray persisted in all of Apple's best iPhones right up to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 released just last year.
Apple does now offer eSIM functionality on the iPhone in some countries, possibly paving the way for an iPhone of the future to eschew the SIM card tray altogether, which would be a welcome improvement for water and dust ingress, as well as providing more space internally.
Apple's iPhone 14 is expected later this year but may be eclipsed in 2023 by the iPhone 15. Multiple reports this week indicate that Apple is planning to ditch the Lightning port in the iPhone in favor of USB-C, in part to comply with an EU mandate off the charging standard expected to come into force in the near future.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Nintendo recap: Metroid Prime rumors, shareholder talks F-Zero, and more
There was lots of exciting news this week following the Nintendo Direct Mini on Tuesday. Several games are slated for this fall and there are even rumors that some older games could be seeing remakes and remasters on Switch soon.

20 million U.K. iPhone, iPad users could get compensation in £1.5B lawsuit
A lawsuit in the U.K. against Apple is going to trial over claims the company has overcharged App Store users because of its dominant position in the iOS app market.

iOS gaming recap: Is that Pokémon Go meets... basketball?
Ever wanted to play basketball but as Pokémon Go? What about hopping into some more dino action now that the Jurassic World series has seemingly wrapped up? Check out this week in iOS gaming.

Deck your dorm with the coolest stuff
Dorm rooms can be plain, so you're going to want to deck it out with as much cool stuff as you possibly can - here are our picks for the essentials!