Wonder how Apple continues to push the boundaries when it comes to the iPhone camera with every generation? It turns out there is a team of over 800 engineers obsessively working to ensure that the camera on an iPhone is one of the best you can get on a phone.

Graham Townsend, who heads the camera hardware division, revealed in an interview with Charlie Rose that a camera module on an iPhone consists of "over 200 separate individual parts," and that Apple extensively simulates various lighting conditions to test how the sensor functions.

Source: CBS (60 Minutes)

Happy Saturday, iMore! Because Rich is awesome, he's letting us run some of his Mac-themed comics from the Diesel Sweeties archive on weekends. Bonus comics, woo! We hope you enjoy.

Read more comics from the Pixel Project on iMore.com.

Update: An Apple spokesperson has sent Buzzfeed a statement denying the report that it is working on iPhone-to-Android data transfer tool:

"There is no truth to this rumor," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. "We are entirely focused on switching users from Android to iPhone, and that is going great."

Original story: If you're currently an owner of the iPhone but wish to make the switch to Android, there's little in regards to aid from Apple you'll receive to make the process easier when transferring data. This is reportedly about to change in part due to European operators who have pressured Apple to working on offering a tool that does just that.

Apple, much like its competitors, offer tools and apps to help consumers switch to their own platforms, but this will be quite the venture for Apple, ensuring that those who wish to leave the company's ecosystem have the means to do so without issue. It's believed that operators fear Apple's controlling dominance of the industry, making it more difficult for consumers to switch from iOS.

From The Telegraph:

"According to a senior industry source, Apple has privately agreed to develop a simple tool to help consumers shift data such as contacts, music and photos if they move to Android. Major European telecoms operators are concerned that only a tiny fraction of customers ever move off the iPhone, in part because of the technical hassle of transferring data."

Google's manufacturing partners already offer such solutions on Android that help consumers switch over from other platforms, be it Windows Phone or iOS, but this would mark an initial offering from Apple itself to aid people to leave its grasp. How have you found the process from switching to Android (if you happened to do so in the past)?

Ed: Welcome to this week's edition of The Pixel Project: a weekly comic from Diesel Sweeties' Rich Stevens on Apple, technology, and everything in-between. Today: ♫ Head Like a Phone / Dark as Your Soul ♫

Read more comics from The Pixel Project.

Microsoft is evidently not yet finished porting over key components like Cortana and Outlook to the iPhone. The software company is now setting its eyes on the famous Word Flow keyboard from Windows Phones too as the next port to Apple's dominate smartphone.

In an email sent to a select few Windows Insiders the company is soliciting feedback on the feature and whether people will want to participate in the beta program.

Insider Kyle Reddoch received the email about the program recently asking if he owns "an iPhone (5s or newer)? Do you think your native iOS keyboard could use improvement?" The email then boasts about Word Flow breaking a Guinness World record for fastest texting and how Microsoft is "working on extending the keyboard to other platforms, starting with iOS".

That last part sounds as if Google's Android would be next in line.

While this is great news for those on iOS (and likely Android), we are sure some Windows Phone users are none too pleased. Nonetheless, Microsoft has made no secret of their intentions of being the best software company around, and the Word Flow keyboard is a shining example of Microsoft's work.

What say you iPhone fans? Would you try out Microsoft's keyboard or do you prefer Apple's stock one instead? Shout out in comments.

Thanks, Kyle R./@WinPhanKyle, for the email!

Microsoft's recently announced beta test for the iPhone version of its Word Flow keyboard reportedly includes a new one-handed interface. That kind of UI is not included in the Windows Phone or Windows 10 Mobile version of the keyboard.

According to Thurrott.com, the UI is designed to look like a fan, with all of the keys placed on the grid. The layout is made so that users can type on the keyboard just by using their thumb, according to the report. While the Windows 10 Mobile version of Word Flow has its own one-handed mode, it's in the same kind of layout as the regular version, but just made smaller and shifted to one side.

The report does point out that the iPhone beta of Word Flow could ditch the fan-based UI when it is officially released. There's no indication that this one-handed interface will be offered to Windows 10 Mobile users in the future.

Source: Thurrott.com

Apple is said to be working on long-range wireless charging technology, which could make its way into the iPhone and iPad as early as 2017, according to Bloomberg. While products like the Apple Watch support inductive charging through the magnetic dock, the manufacturer is said to be developing technologies that can charge a phone even when it's not in contact with the charging plate:

Apple is exploring cutting-edge technologies that would allow iPhones and iPads to be powered from further away than the charging mats used with current smartphones, the people said, asking not to be identified as the details are private. The iPhone maker is looking to overcome technical barriers including loss of power over distance with a decision on implementing the technology still being assessed, they said.

Efficiency of power transfer decreases as the distance between transmitter and receiver grows, which means batteries take longer to recharge.

Rumors of Apple introducing wireless charging solutions are nothing new, but there hasn't been much in the way of a final product. That may finally change next year.

Source: Bloomberg

If you want to trade in an old phone for a new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, Apple is planning to introduce a new device trade-in program that will allow you to do just that. The program is called Trade Up With Installments, and is reportedly launching today.

According to USA Today, the new Trade Up With Installments will be made available in addition to Apple's traditional iPhone Upgrade Program which lets users get credit for a new iPhone by trading in an older phone. The new Trade Up With Installments program will allow users to trade in an old iPhone, Android or Windows Phone device for a new iPhone model, but then use that credit to pay for the new phone under a 24-month installment program.

For example, if you step up from an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 5S, you'll pay $14.58 a month for 24 months. If you move from an iPhone 6 to a 6S, the monthly tab is $14.54. To take the most extreme example, to move from the iPhone 4 to the largest-capacity (128 GB) iPhone 6S Plus, you'll pay $35.37 a month.

There will also be the option to trade in an older phone and simply get a one-time credit towards the purchase of a new iPhone, ranging from $100 for an iPhone 4 to $350 for an iPhone 6s. Credits for Android and Windows Phone devices were not disclosed.

Apple's motivation? There are still lots of people using older iPhones who the company would like to see upgrade. According to recent remarks made by Apple CEO Tim Cook, some 60% of the current crop of iPhone owners have not yet upgraded to an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S or 6S Plus.

Trade in your iPhone at Apple

Source: USA Today

Happy Saturday, iMore! Because Rich is awesome, he's letting us run some of his Mac-themed comics from the Diesel Sweeties archive on weekends. Bonus comics, woo! We hope you enjoy.

Read more comics from the Pixel Project on iMore.com.

Before he co-founded connected device company Nest, Tony Fadell worked at Apple and lead the teams behind its iPod and its first iPhone devices. Fadell looks back on those days in a newly published interview.

Fadell told VentureBeat about his doubts when Apple CEO Steve Jobs asked him to help create a music player. Fadell stated:

The market was littered with junk. I almost didn't take the job. We had the General Magic tale. We had the Philips tale. I turned to Steve and said, "We can build anything. Give it enough time and money. But how can you guarantee to me that you can sell and market it? Look at Sony. They own every audio category. How do we go up against that?" He said to me, "Look. You make it, and I guarantee I'll use every marketing dollar I've got. I'll starve the Mac to do it." I said, "Okay, you do what you want." He was really passionate about it.

Of course, that music player turned out to be an iPod and changed both the music and tech industries. Later came the idea for Apple to make a phone. Fadell stated:

It was an iPod with a phone module inside it. It looked like an iPod, but it had a phone, and you would select numbers through the same interface and so on. But if you wanted to dial a number it was like using a rotary dial. It sucked. We knew three months in that it wasn't going to work. Steve said, "Keep trying!" We tried everything. We tried for seven or eight months to get that thing to work. Couldn't do it. We added more buttons and it just became this gangly thing.

The final result was the iPhone, which included a touchscreen display that first came about when Apple tried to develop a touchscreen Mac. Fadell said:

We created a touch screen company to build the multi-touch display. Then we needed a better operating system, so we brought a bunch of pieces of the Mac, a bunch of pieces of the iPod, and bolted them together. That was the first version. Then we threw that away and made the second version of the iPhone. That was the one that shipped. It took two and a half to three years, depending on how you count it up, from the time we said we needed to do a phone to the time we actually shipped.

Ed: Welcome to this week's edition of The Pixel Project: a weekly comic from Diesel Sweeties' Rich Stevens on Apple, technology, and everything in-between. Today: Keep the Back Door Shut

Read more comics from The Pixel Project.

Where does the new, 4-inch iPhone fit into the Canadian market, where prices have skyrocketed?

The last time Apple unveiled a new four-inch iPhone was September 2013. Back then the Canadian mobile market looked very different. Phones were generally smaller and, though the industry was just transitioning from three-year contracts to two, considerably less expensive. It was also a strange time at Apple itself; the company, selling a then-record 51 million iPhones in the quarter following the iPhone 5s' launch, tried pushing its boundaries with the release of the colorful, plastic iPhone 5c.

In the months following the iPhone 5c's release, with Apple declining to breakout sales, it was left up to analysts and the media circus to consider the implications of Apple refactoring its blockbuster phone for a younger, more cost-conscious demographic. While the iPhone 5c stuck around until the debut of the iPhone 6s last September, its two-year existence had an unclear impact on Apple's product strategy.

From 5s to SE

This year, the iPhone SE rumored to be announced next week will likely replace the iPhone 5s in Apple's lineup. Despite the presence of what is expected to be top-tier specs, like Apple's speedy A9 chip and an improved camera, the iPhone SE shares some things in common with the iPhone 5c. That's especially true in countries, like Canada, whose carriers incentivize sales with subsidies in exchange for long-term service agreements.

Assuming that nothing else changes, the iPhone SE will slot into the same spot held by the iPhone 5s today. But given that such a device, if it does ship with an A9 chip and an updated camera, would have higher specs than the A8-powered iPhone 6, how will Apple present it to consumers?

Traditionally, Apple has been very deliberate with its tiered pricing: a new iPhone debuts, and the older versions dip between $100 and $150. Due to the weak Canadian Dollar, and Apple's associated price hikes alongside the unveiling of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus last September, the 16GB iPhone 5s is the only $0 variant on the market. This number is important, because an increasing number of shoppers, eager to minimize upfront expenses when purchasing a new device, wait until a handset goes free before picking it up.

Anticipating the release of the iPhone SE, Canadian carriers have lowered the cost of the 16GB iPhone 6 to that precious $0 mark on a two-year contract. Because the entry-level iPhone 6 costs $769 outright, or unlocked straight from Apple, the carriers are requiring a minimum monthly spend of over $90 to justify the extra subsidy. That's a strategy that has worked in the past on previous iPhone models.

With the iPhone SE on the horizon, it will be interesting to see where Apple prices its least expensive (presumably 16GB) model. The cheapest iPhone 5s is $599, and it's difficult to see its successor costing any less.

Upending expectations

If Apple matches the current $450 U.S. price of the iPhone 5s, and continues hedging against weakness in the Canadian economy, the iPhone SE could debut at $625 to $650, which would translate to $125 to $150 on-contract. And because carriers are willing to more heavily subsidize older devices (like the technically more-expensive iPhone 6) than newer ones, we could theoretically see a situation, at least in the short term, where the iPhone SE is pricier than its larger siblings.

That reality may suit Apple nicely, as it brings the four-inch iPhone back into the spotlight, encouraging customers of the iPhone 5 and 5s to finally set aside their aging devices.

I've heard anecdotally that, despite the proliferation of five-inch-plus devices on the Android side, many iPhone owners dread the notion of being forced to purchase a larger device upon the inevitable death of their current model.

Not only does the iPhone SE present iPhone owners with another size choice, it reinforces the idea that Apple is willing to disrupt and upend its own established product lines to present its customers with the choices they want. While this doesn't mean Canadians will finally get the cheap iPhone many want, it raises the floor on the capabilities of all the iPhones on the market, and for Apple, that's priority number one.

How do you think Apple will price the iPhone SE in Canada? Let me know in the comments!

Bell, Rogers, Telus, and more! — How to pick the perfect Canadian iPhone carrier for you!

There are nearly a dozen carriers on tips of Canadians' tongues — Rogers, Bell, Telus and their flankers, Fido, Virgin Mobile, Koodo; regionals like SaskTel, MTS, Videotron, Eastlink; and national upstarts like Wind — but in many cases there are very few ways to differentiate them.

The Canadian mobile market can be defined using two simple words: fast, and expensive. We have some of the consistently fastest networks outside of Asia, with providers adopting standards like LTE-Advanced and Voice Over LTE before those in the U.S. and Europe. But we also pay a premium for that privilege, resulting in some of the highest average revenue per user (ARPU) per carrier in the the world.

As much as Canadians complain about their telecom providers, a growing number are spending an increasing amount of their devices. Basically, we're all addicts, and the telcos are our dealers. So if you're going to go with one, which one should it be, iPhone users? We've got the scoop.

Bell

Canada's Big Blue, Bell is one of the oldest mobile providers in the country. After transitioning from CDMA technology to a more modern HSPA+ network in 2009, Bell launched its LTE network in late 2011.

Bell partners with Telus on the network side, which includes tower and equipment sharing in various parts of the country. Bell, however, has consistently outperformed both Rogers and Telus in recent speed tests, owing to its prodigious use of carrier aggregation.

Plan structure

For the iPhone, Bell uses a hybrid plan structure. Like all other carriers, Bell offers share plans, which allow users the choice of unlimited local or national calling and Canada-wide texting, and a data bucket that can be shared with up to nine additional people.

Sample plan for family with four iPhones (exc. Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan)

• Unlimited nationwide calling and texting for account holder: $65
• 7GB of shareable data: $65
• Three more iPhones with unlimited nationwide calling: $65x3 = $195
• Total: $325 per month (plus tax)

Who should go for Bell?

Bell is a national carrier with coverage in every province and territory. It is also one of the only Canadian carriers with active towers in Canada's North.

Bell offers LTE-Advanced speeds, which are compatible with the latest-generation iPhones, in big cities in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. Bell is also the only carrier in Canada to offer tri-carrier aggregation, which allows for speeds of up to 225Mbps with compatible devices.

Bell, which owns a number of media properties in Canada, such as CTV, offers 24-months of Mobile TV access when signing a two-year contract. It also owns CraveTV, a streaming service that exclusively licenses HBO and Showtime content.

While Bell isn't particularly well-known for its customer service, it has been trying to improve its reputation in recent years.

What to know: Bell also owns Virgin Mobile, which is aimed at a slightly younger demographic than its main brand. While Virgin Mobile uses the same network as Bell, it does not offer share plans, and occasionally has more competitive prices.

See the iPhone at Bell

Rogers

Rogers is the largest carrier in Canada, and possess the largest individually-built network (since Bell and Telus share significant portions of infrastructure). With over nine million customers, Rogers has struggled in recent years to maintain growth in the wireless space.

Rogers has the oldest relationship in Canada with Apple on the iPhone, since it was the only de facto GSM carrier when the iPhone 3G expanded beyond the U.S. in 2008. But since rivals Telus and Bell began selling the iPhone alongside the iPhone 3GS, Rogers has no distinct advantages for iPhone users beyond a strong network.

Under the guidance of CEO Guy Laurence, Rogers has revamped its customer service process, promising shorter wait times and more comprehensive, one-on-one support.

Rogers uses its media properties and partnerships to great effect, offering share plan customers the option of two years of either streaming music service Spotify, streaming video service Shomi, or all-you-can-read magazine service Texture. Rogers also offers competitive roaming rates with its Roam Like Home service.

Plan structure

Like Bell, Rogers uses a hybrid plan structure. It offers share plans, which allow users the choice of unlimited local or national calling and Canada-wide texting, and a data bucket that can be shared with up to nine additional people. It also offers non-share plans that aren't as generous on a per-gigabyte basis.

Sample plan for family with four iPhones (exc. Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan)

• Unlimited nationwide calling, texting and 9GB data for account holder: $135
• Three more iPhones with unlimited nationwide calling: $65x3 = $195
• Total: $330 per month (plus tax)

iPhone prices include up to $600 in subsidy, which lowers by equal amounts over 24 months, which is required by the Wireless Code of Conduct. For example, an iPhone 6s costs $398.99 with a two-year agreement, or $899 outright. That difference, $500, is reduced by equal amounts (516 / 24 = 20.83) of $20.83 over two years. Customers canceling need to pay back the outstanding device balance.

Rogers also offers a $10 per month discount for customers purchasing their own iPhones and bringing them to the carrier, or under the Smart Tab brand, for spending more on their devices upfront.

Who should go for Rogers?

Rogers is a national carrier with coverage in every province and territory. It has historically fared strongest in Ontario and British Columbia, but offers at least 3G HSPA+ in provinces where it has partnerships with regional carriers such as SaskTel and Eastlink.

Wireless customers looking for strong, but not necessarily the fastest, LTE speeds in most of the country, plus a wide range of content add-ons, should look at Rogers. Rogers is currently the only carrier to offer Voice over LTE service on the iPhone, though that statistic may not last long.

What to know: Rogers also owns Fido, which is aimed at a younger millennial demographic than its parent company. It also forgoes shared data plans in favour of three tiers of plans that vary in price depending on the amount of subsidy included.

See the iPhone at Rogers

Telus

Telus has traditionally been strongest in Canada's western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, but with its network partnership with Bell, has pivoted to being a viable national carrier. Telus has the second-highest number of subscribers in the country after Rogers, though it changes places with Bell every once in a while.

Telus tries to simplify its device and monthly plan prices by rounding up to the nearest hundred dollar — no $*.99. It has also taken a customer-friendly approach, in lieu of content partnerships, since the telco owns no media properties. For iPhone users, Telus is alone in offering in-house AppleCare+ at the same level as Apple itself, which means that anyone in the program can come to Telus for Genius Bar-like repairs and support.

Plan structure

Like Bell, Telus uses a hybrid plan structure. It offers share plans, which allow users the choice of unlimited local or national calling and Canada-wide texting, and a data bucket that can be shared with up to four additional people. In addition to unlimited nationwide and local calls, it offers a cheaper 300-minute calling tier. Telus is also more generous than Bell or Rogers in discounting customers who bring their own iPhones, offering a $15 per month discount compared to $10 on the other two.

Sample plan for family with four iPhones (exc. Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan)

• Unlimited nationwide calling and texting for account holder: $65
• 7GB of shareable data: $65
• Three more iPhones with unlimited nationwide calling: $65x3 = $195
• Total: $325 per month (plus tax)

iPhone prices include up to $600 in subsidy, which lowers by equal amounts over 24 months, which is required by the Wireless Code of Conduct. For example, an iPhone 6s costs $300 with a two-year agreement, or $915 outright. That difference, $615, is reduced by equal amounts (615 / 24 = 25.63) of $25.63 over two years. Customers canceling need to pay back the outstanding device balance.

Who should go for Telus?

Telus doesn't offer the latest and greatest in technology — it has yet to launch tri-carrier aggregation (though it piggybacks off Bell's network in certain parts of the country) or Voice over LTE — but it does have some of the strongest customer service credentials around. It is also a preferred AppleCare+ partner, which is great for people buying extended warranties in cities where there aren't Apple Stores close by.

What to know: Telus also owns Koodo, which tries to be both a value brand and, like Fido and Virgin, a more youthful one. Koodo doesn't offer share plans, but it does have a simple financing system that separates the cost of the phone from the plan. As a result, monthly plans cost less because the cost of the phone is tacked, in 24 equal payments, to the price of the plan. Once the phone is paid off, the monthly plan drops accordingly. We wish more carriers would do this.

See the iPhone at Telus

Wind Mobile

Wind operates an 3G HSPA+ network in five major Canadian cities — Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver — and smaller ones in Ontario like London, Hamilton, Kingston and Windsor (and pockets in between).

What it lacks in connectivity speed, it makes up for in features and price. Wind Mobile, which was recently purchased by Shaw, says that it will launch its LTE network in late 2016 or early 2017, but in the meantime its prices are often half of what one would pay at one of the incumbents or their flanker brands.

Wind Mobile doesn't officially sell the iPhone, but users of unlocked iPhone 6 models and higher (and some later iPhone 5s models) can connect to the Wind network.

Plan structure

Wind Mobile offers plans between $25 and $50 per month that offer a variety of call, text and data options. The $50 per month plan includes unlimited talk, text and 8GB of data, plus 1GB of US roaming, international texting and calls to the US. It also offers a predictable tab experience (as of March 22nd, 2016) that lowers the cost of a phone by equal amounts until it is paid off in two years.

Who should go for Wind Mobile?

There are nearly 100,000 iPhone users on Wind even though the company doesn't officially sell the product. That's because it is an extremely good value, despite lower performance and persistent dead zones. Some customers love it, and Wind says that it is summarily improving its equipment city by city, beginning with Vancouver and Calgary and moving east.

What to know: It's unclear what's going to happen to Wind Mobile once it is fully subsumed by its now-parent, Shaw Communications. Many experts believe that Shaw will rebrand the service to something like Shaw Mobile, offering wireless service in places that it currently offers free Wi-Fi to its subscribers. It's possible Shaw will maintain Wind Mobile as a discount or value brand and launch its own LTE network in areas it has sufficient spectrum.

See BYOD at Wind Mobile

Videotron, MTS, SaskTel, Eastlink

These four regional carriers all sell the iPhone, and introduce significant competition in their respective provinces of Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Maritimes.

All of them operate LTE networks, either on their own (in the case of Eastlink and SaskTel), or in partnership with Rogers (Videotron and MTS). As a result, they all have roaming agreements with one or all of the incumbents for Extended Coverage, where they don't offer their own service.

Unlike Wind, which the incumbents Rogers, Bell and Telus don't consider a true competitor, the presence of the above regional carriers has a direct impact on the cost of monthly service in these provinces. Monthly plans in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are often 30 to 40% lower than in the rest of Canada; in Quebec, they are between 10 and 15% lower; and in the Maritimes, around five to 10% lower.

Who should go for Videotron?

Videotron has quickly become a force in Quebec, garnering nearly a million customers since its wireless service launched in 2009. Like Rogers, Bell and Telus, parent company Quebecor offers home television, internet and home phone service, so many of its customers are bundlers, but Videotron has been smart about undercutting the incumbents while systematically increasingly ARPU with compelling services. Recently, it launched Unlimited Music, which zero-rates popular music streaming services like Spotify and Deezer. And like Bell, Videotron offers streaming television through its Illico brand, which it bundles with some of its more expensive wireless plans.

Videotron also offers the iPhone series at different prices depending on a customer's monthly price spend. The higher the plan, the greater the subsidy.

See the iPhone at Videotron

Who should go for MTS or SaskTel?

Wireless customers that live in either Manitoba or Saskatchewan would do well to check out MTS or SaskTel, both of which offers fantastic LTE speeds and coverage in their respective provinces. Those who travel outside the province regularly, though, are at the whim of so-called Extended Service, and may not benefit as much from the carriers' lower prices. Since Rogers, Bell and Telus tend to match the regional carriers' prices in both provinces, choosing a carrier is more a matter of comfort than price.

Both MTS and SaskTel sell the iPhone at standard two-year contract prices.

See the iPhone at MTSSee the iPhone at SaskTel

Who should go for Eastlink?

Customers in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, along with parts of Eastern Quebec, could benefit from Eastlink's excellent LTE coverage and financing plans. Eastlink is the only carrier in Canada that offers true financing, which means that it sells every phone for free upfront, but amortizes the cost of the device over two years in 24 equal payments. American wireless customers know that this is not novel — nearly all of them have switched over in the past year — but in Canada, financing is still a novelty.

See the iPhone at Eastlink

So, which is the best carrier for iPhone?

• If you're after national coverage with the best customer service, Telus is the best carrier.
• If you're after national coverage with the fastest speeds and the newest LTE technology, Bell is the best carrier.
• If you're after national coverage with fast speeds, and lots of content bundling options, Rogers is the best carrier.
• If you're after national coverage at the lowest prices, Koodo is the best carrier.
• If you're after the lowest prices, period, Wind Mobile is the best carrier.
• And if you're satisfied with regional coverage, try Videotron, MTS, SaskTel or Eastlink, which are often cheaper than the incumbents.

tl;dr: There are no bad carriers for the iPhone, but Canadians should do some research before deciding which one is right for them.

Ed: Welcome to this week's edition of The Pixel Project: a weekly comic from Diesel Sweeties' Rich Stevens on Apple, technology, and everything in-between. Today: Why are iPhone 6s users "upgrading" to the iPhone SE?

Read more comics from The Pixel Project.

What exactly is a SIM card? You know, the little piece of plastic found in the metal pullout on the right side of your iPhone or cellular iPad? The short answer: it's a Subscriber Identity Module, a small circuit board in most modern phones to communicate with your carrier. Practically speaking, it is a middleman between two pieces of hardware: the phone's baseband chip, and your carrier's cell towers, allowing the two to communicate.

SIM cards allow you to travel between phones with your phone number and data plans; when you upgrade to a new iPhone, the SIM card travels (as long as it is the same size). But while SIM cards themselves may be portable, they only work in certain phones. We'll explain why in a bit.

A SIM card is internationally identified by its Integrated circuit card identifier (ICC-ID), which is engraved on the body of the card. It is also identified by the carrier with its International mobile subscriber identity (IMSI). Essentially, these two numbers tell the carrier that your phone is allowed to operate on its network and, once connected, should be billed for certain features. Beyond identification, SIM cards have several other functions.

What is a SIM card?

SIM cards have evolved a lot over the years. While they have maintained a relative thickness of just under 1mm, their surface area has steadily decreased, from the credit card-sized plates used in the earliest cellphones to the nanoSIMs of today's devices.

The nanoSIM is the SIM card's fourth size standard since its inception. Designated as 4FF, or fourth form factor, it measures 12.3mm x 8.8mm x 0.67mm, a reduction of over 42 times from the SIM's inception. Most people, however, are more familiar with the 2FF SIM card, known more readily as the Regular SIM card. At 25mm x 15mm x 0.76, it is 3.4 times larger than today's current SIM cards, which offer the same features in a much more compact package. Some manufacturers still choose to use the microSIM format which, at 15mm x 12mm, is only slightly larger than the nanoSIM.

Many carriers offer branded SIM cards with cutouts for all three modern sizes, so users can choose which version they want to insert depending on their device. There are also adapters so nanoSIM cards can fit into slots meant for microSIM or Regular SIM cards.

How does a SIM card work?

Often, a SIM card is provided with the purchase of a phone by your carrier and it is used to store data about your account. Because it has a small amount of memory and a very low-powered processor, the SIM card not only enables communication between the phone and its carrier, but stores information such as phone numbers, security data and more. In recent years, carriers have begun using specialized SIM cards with so-called Secure Elements to store credit card credentials in order to facilitate mobile payments.

Bonus Tip: SIM cards are transferrable. If your iPhone runs out of power and you desperately need to make a call or connect to the internet, you can just swap the SIM into another iPhone and use it with your minutes and data bucket.

What are the benefits of a SIM card?

SIM cards are the unseen magicians of today's smartphones. They make connecting to networks and switching phones as easy as removing a small metal tray.

If you buy a new phone, you can simply insert your existing SIM and keep on using your existing service as long as the new phone isn't locked to a different carrier. Likewise if you travel internationally you can just buy a SIM card from a local carrier — as long as your phone isn't locked to a carrier.

What are the drawbacks of a SIM card?

SIM cards are fairly simple. They have practically no function without an accompanying smartphone and are increasingly reliant on third-party apps to address functionality, such as connecting to multiple networks or using more than one phone number.

And because they are simple pieces of plastic, their benefit is largely subject to the will of the carrier. If you buy a phone that is locked to one carrier, putting a different carrier's SIM requires an unlock code, which is often expensive to obtain and confusing to enter.

Typically the SIM lock is in exchange for a subsidized phone (so you can't buy a cheap phone on one carrier then switch over an use another before you've paid back the subsidy over the life of your contract).

These days, Apple sells the iPhone SIM-unlocked in most countries, including the U.S., Canada and the U.K. While customers have to pay more upfront for an unlocked version of the iPhone, they can use the phone with any compatible SIM card, as long as the phone works with that carrier's network. The latest iPhone, the 6s, supports 23 LTE bands, which comprises most of the world's carriers.

What is Apple SIM?

In 2014, alongside the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4, Apple unveiled Apple SIM, a way for the company to assert some control over its devices' connection to various carriers.

By working with select providers in the U.S. and U.K., Apple SIM allows iPad owners to connect to whichever network they want — provided that telco has worked with Apple. In the U.S., those carriers include Sprint and T-Mobile; in the U.K., EE. The beauty of Apple SIM is its ability to interface with multiple networks; when visiting foreign countries, partners GigSky, AlwaysOnline Wireless and au work with local providers to offer per-day or per-megabyte bundles.

Most recently, with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, Apple began embedding its Apple SIM in its tablet line, allowing the use of both Apple's partner networks as well as local carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon in the U.S.

Which U.S. iPad carrier and plan should you get?

iPhone nowhere to be found? Use the Apple Watch's built-in Find My iPhone button to uncover it in a jiffy.

If your iPhone, like mine, frequently goes on safari into the couch cushions or under-bed lairs of your home, you don't have to rush to your computer and iCloud.com to uncover it. Instead, you can use your Apple Watch. Unlike Find My iPhone, your Apple Watch's search feature won't trigger iCloud emails saying your device has been sent a noise; it's a much simpler and less complicated Find function.

Note: Your phone needs to be turned on and have Bluetooth enabled for this to work, and it will only ping the iPhone your Apple Watch is paired to; you won't be able to find other devices in this manner.

How to find your iPhone with your Apple Watch

1. Press the Digital Crown button to return to the watch face.
2. Swipe up from the bottom of the watch face.

3. Swipe right to the far left complication. It should show your iPhone at the top as "Connected" in green text.

4. Tap the Find iPhone button.

Within a few seconds, your iPhone should ring out with a small submarine-style ping. You can tap this button to your heart's content until your discover where your phone has been spending its time.

Questions?

Let us know in the comments!

Professional skateboarder Sean Malto's documentary, called MALTO, was shot entirely on an iPhone. Ghost Digital Cinema released behind-the-scenes footage from the documentary (via MacStories), detailing how they used professional lenses and a gimbal attached to an iPhone and a $10 FiLMiC Pro app to capture the visuals.

Check out the documentary above, and view the behind-the-scenes footage from the video below. It is remarkable how the video turned out considering it was shot entirely on an iPhone. Then again, this isn't the first time the iPhone has been used in such a setting.

Ed: Welcome to this week's edition of The Pixel Project: a weekly comic from Diesel Sweeties' Rich Stevens on Apple, technology, and everything in-between. Today: Do you regret your iPhone SE?

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Earlier this week, we reported that the previously-revealed Word Flow keyboard for the iPhone was in private beta testing by Microsoft. Now the company has posted a sign-up page for iPhone owners to register their interest in trying out Word Flow.

The sign-up page also shows a video that demos some of the Word Flow keyboard's features, such as its one-handed mode and its ability to customize its background with different themes. There's no word yet on when Word Flow will get its public release on the App Store.

Sign up for Microsoft's Word Flow beta for the iPhone

Ed: Welcome to this week's edition of The Pixel Project: a weekly comic from Diesel Sweeties' Rich Stevens on Apple, technology, and everything in-between. Today: Tesla Temptations

Read more comics from The Pixel Project.