Android could some day find its way onto basic flip phones, thanks to a SIM card that holds the operating system and everything needed to run it.
SK Telecom's Android SIM includes a processor, applications, user data, 1 GB of memory and, of course, the OS itself. Pop the card into a dumbphone, and you'll be running Android. Pricing and availability aren't specified in Engadget's report. SK Telecom has also created a separate SIM card that stores themes, apps, music and pictures, allowing vendors to pre-load the cards with all sorts of media.
This strikes me as the cell phone version of the classic operating system on a USB stick, letting you alternate between Windows and something lighter, like Ubuntu or Google Chrome OS. For cell phone users, a separate SIM card with Android might be a nice way to separate personal and business uses, or it could just be a better alternative if your flip phone's default interface and features stink.
We've seen a few cool advancements in SIM cards over the last week, mostly coming out of this year's Mobile World Congress. Last week, Sagem Orga announced a SIM card that doubles as a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a company called Beceem has developed a SIM card that seamlessly switches between WiMax and LTE, the two standards for 4G mobile broadband.
But SK Telecom's creation might be the coolest of all, because it handles more than just voice and data. I don't think I'd ever go back to a flip phone even with Android on board, but it's a neat idea that could turn more people on to smartphones.
