How influential has Apple (AAPL) been in the mobile industry? Consider this: The SIM card has been in use in the wireless industry since 1991 and its design remained unchanged for nearly 20 years. When Apple’s next-generation iPhone launches later this month with new nano-SIM cards, it will mark the second time in about two years that Apple has pushed a shift toward a new SIM card standard. With that, German blog ifun.de on Tuesday published an image of a new nano-SIM destined for the “iPhone 5” on T-Mobile Germany when Apple’s new phone becomes available. Alongside the new SIMs is the following message (machine translated):

Dear partners,

You will receive today a new generation of SIM cards for the latest generation of smartphones that come in the near future on the market. Sort your SIM card please first not in their cards in hand and give it not out to customers.We will inform you shortly about how to proceed.

Apple’s sixth iPhone is expected to be unveiled during a press conference next Wednesday and it will reportedly launch about a week later on September 21st. Preorders will supposedly begin alongside the iPhone’s unveiling on September 12th.

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