I'm starting to wonder how much longer Apple can ignore the bluetooth Remote SIM Access Profile (RSAP) in their phones. Thus far they've shown zero interest in permitting such connectivity.
For those who don't know, this profile allows another device to connect 'directly' to the SIM card in a phone, effectively functioning as if the SIM card had been removed from the phone and placed into the other device.
The major car manufacturers are moving inexorably towards high-end phone system which use this protocol. The car itself effectively has a mobile phone built into it and this connects to your handset via RSAP to allow it to use your SIM card. The first advantage of this system is that your phone can be put into a very low power state as all it needs to keep powered are the SIM card itself and the bluetooth connectivity, the modem can be shut down, thus it uses hardly any power. The second advantage is that, with direct access to the SIM card, the car can do more than just make and receive calls, but can also use text messaging and data.
With access to data via your SIM card and network plan, some of these new systems are leveraging this to provide Internet connectivity for various systems in the car, such as Google maps and traffic info for SatNav or general internet access via WiFi hotspots.
It's a great system but relies totally on the handset supporting RSAP, which no iPhones do. If, as I suspect will happen, more and more of the car manufacturers go this route, can Apple really hold out in not supporting this protocol?
My next car will have the choice between an RSAP system such as the one above, with loads of connectivity and useful features, or a basic bluetooth system with none of that. If Apple persist in refusing to support RSAP, I'll be faced with the choice of either losing this functionality or changing to another phone.
For those who don't know, this profile allows another device to connect 'directly' to the SIM card in a phone, effectively functioning as if the SIM card had been removed from the phone and placed into the other device.
The major car manufacturers are moving inexorably towards high-end phone system which use this protocol. The car itself effectively has a mobile phone built into it and this connects to your handset via RSAP to allow it to use your SIM card. The first advantage of this system is that your phone can be put into a very low power state as all it needs to keep powered are the SIM card itself and the bluetooth connectivity, the modem can be shut down, thus it uses hardly any power. The second advantage is that, with direct access to the SIM card, the car can do more than just make and receive calls, but can also use text messaging and data.
With access to data via your SIM card and network plan, some of these new systems are leveraging this to provide Internet connectivity for various systems in the car, such as Google maps and traffic info for SatNav or general internet access via WiFi hotspots.
It's a great system but relies totally on the handset supporting RSAP, which no iPhones do. If, as I suspect will happen, more and more of the car manufacturers go this route, can Apple really hold out in not supporting this protocol?
My next car will have the choice between an RSAP system such as the one above, with loads of connectivity and useful features, or a basic bluetooth system with none of that. If Apple persist in refusing to support RSAP, I'll be faced with the choice of either losing this functionality or changing to another phone.
