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Not directly a code related question, though I think this is the right place to ask.

Does anyone know, if so how and which requirements are needed, if it's possible to pre-load an IOS application and/or Android application on a Sim card. After which a user sticks it in their phone and loads them onto the device.

I know it used to be possible with old Nokia phones where the telecom provider loaded an app on the sim card, though not sure how this would work security wise for the current iOS and Android.

If someone could push me in the right direction, it would be well appreciated.

If it's not possible, does anyone know of an alternative solution?

Vadim Kotov
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renevdkooi
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    Nope, sim cards dont have much storage on them to begin with, so just fitting an app one one is not possible – Fonix Jan 21 '16 at 04:21
  • alternatives? size limit? able to force open a link to the store(s)? – renevdkooi Jan 21 '16 at 04:22
  • are you looking for a per-loaded application in your phone? or need to install application when inserting a simcard ? – Sree Jan 21 '16 at 04:22
  • either would do. I'm trying to figure out if its possible. I'm hoping to be able to have users install our application once they insert the sim card on their phone, if that's not possible, the easiest way of having them install it. Either being pushed to the app store or other methods. – renevdkooi Jan 21 '16 at 04:25
  • i think it is a complex issue , how you identify user insert a sim? – Sree Jan 21 '16 at 04:28

2 Answers2

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There is no way to access data from the sim card using the iOS SDK apparently, so this would not be possible even if you could fit an app or url to the apps webpage on the sim card.

https://stackoverflow.com/a/15380308/1219956

as for android you can access some info from the sim card, but probably not arbitrary data written to it (which im not even sure how you would get onto the sim in the first place)

How to read Sim raw data on Android?

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Fonix
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  • Thanks for this, just wonder how do Telecom providers do it then. As i've had a SIM Card from a Bank before (the bank made a deal with the telecom provider) and it had the banks app on it. – renevdkooi Jan 21 '16 at 04:59
  • are you sure you just got the sim from the bank and not the phone as well? or where you using a pre-existing phone and once you swapped sims the app appeared on your phone? – Fonix Jan 21 '16 at 05:03
  • it was my phone already and when i put in the sim it showed "Applications on this sim" can't remember the exact wording. – renevdkooi Jan 21 '16 at 05:10
  • I imagined this would not be possible with iOS, with their code signing inside the app store. I think the only way i can think of is that the provider sends a notification to our server, after which we send an sms to that phone number... would that work? – renevdkooi Jan 21 '16 at 05:12
  • ye maybe when the sim downloads the service providers settings when inserted, they can make it download apps straight off the app store or something. I just find it hard to believe the apps are stored on the sim, since they have very little storage. unfortunately i dont know how they do it then – Fonix Jan 21 '16 at 05:16
  • thank you anyway. Did get me on a new idea of having them send a welcome SMS with the install link. Not as effective, but still better than nothing. :) – renevdkooi Jan 21 '16 at 05:19
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It's possible, as some network carriers trigger automatic installation of certain apps such as for subscription management. I noticed this when an app from my carrier appeared on my unbranded Android phone, shortly after I inserted my carrier's SIM card.

Most SIM cards support the Java Card platform for this purpose. How exactly a phone OS would interface with this to trigger app installations, I'm not sure, and might be vendor-dependent.

You can find some more information in a DEFCON talk slideset, "The Secret Life of SIM Cards". You should also look up the page on UICC Carrier Privileges in Android documentation.

Daniel Saner
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