
Ask HN: Why aren't phones software? - Toenex
I&#x27;ve recently started using my phone providers software app to make and receive calls and texts from other devices and it has wondering why we aren&#x27;t phones purely software and the handsets generic?   I can see we need to replace the sim card with a software key and I get that the provider is subsidising the cost so wants a lock-in period but are these the only things?
======
Jacen
SIM cards are used for authentication on the network. Using a dedicated
encryption chip is this only way to ensure authentication, software keys are
too easy to steal.

Today, any device with a sim card reader and GSM antenna may be used as a
phone: computers, tablets, and so on. I don't know where you live, but, in
many country, today, you can buy phone service without a phone, and with no
lock-in period.

~~~
Toenex
Here's a scenario. I need to make a call but my phone is out of charge. "Here
use mine." you say as you hand me your handset. I login on your handset, make
my call, logout and hand it back to you. The call came from my number, charged
to me I just happened to use your handset.

~~~
mattmalin
This is the current system, but with "use this physical item, the SIM card, to
login".

This does assumes that the replacement phone in question is unlocked so can
work on the other SIM card, but is certainly something that many people do
quite often.

~~~
Toenex
and that I have my sim card with me.

~~~
mattmalin
Agreed, not an equivalent system.

Another scenario where this causes issues that a login equivalent can improve:
imagine losing your phone including SIM card. This then causes a full
interruption of all services tied to that phone number including actual phone
service, and SMS, until the SIM is replaced. This usually takes hours/days
depending on your location or carrier.

The other big difference in just swapping out sim cards is the need for a full
phone reset and the interruption to the service of whomever you're borrowing
the phone!

~~~
Toenex
Yep, essentially lots of 'not quites' with the current system.

I want phone-as-easy-as-email. I logon and immediately calls are routed to
that device and I can pick up voicemail, make calls and send texts. If I have
another phone account I can use the same handset to log into that account at
the same time and all calls to that number get routed to the device as well.
If the device has radio hardware (such as phone handset) it uses the radio
network otherwise it uses wifi or whatever other network comms that device
has. When I logout it all stops.

As a customer that's the interface to 'phone' that I want. Phone is soft, not
hard.

------
hiepnv
:D, so you need to write down that key or remember it when you want to use on
another device

or if that key is provided somehow,such as pushing a request to provider to
get it using internet, then what happened when there is no connection but gsm

or imagine when you use that key for few devices? what will be your main
device and you want to suspend the others?

Many problems must be solved if you'd like to use a key instead of a SIM card
:D

------
mobinni
Because like all things, people love options. Consumerism would fail if
everything was generic.

~~~
Toenex
Surely I'd have more options if I could use any handset?

I'm a computer literate guy but I still end up carrying 2 handsets - one work,
one personal - most of the time because the handsets aren't truly generic.

~~~
AndrewDucker
What do you mean generic? People like different screen sizes, are willing to
pay different amounts for different amounts of storage, processor speeds, etc.

~~~
Toenex
I mean pick up my wife's phone, log in and now it's mine.

~~~
AndrewDucker
Aaah, Android can do a lot of that. The latest versions support multiple user
logins, so you can share a phone other than the (which you'd have to swap).

