IPhone 4S Owners Report SIM Card Failure

The problem is occurring across all carriers and prevents users from activating the phone if the SIM card is in the slot. Removing the SIM card appears to fix the problem, at least temporarily, but running the phone without the SIM card will jeopardize important data back up.

Such failures occasionally occur with GSM networks like AT&T, which uses the SIM card to verify users' accounts and gain access to the device. However, for the iPhone to experience similar issues with CDMA iPhone 4S models is unexpected.

IPhone 4S users have also reported issues with the phone's battery life, Siri voice recognition system, and outgoing calls being muted. If problems keep mounting, it may scare off potential buyers and result in reduced sales of the device for Apple.

The continuation of problems may open the door for rivals like Android and BlackBerry, which may gain customers who flee in fear of more issues being discovered on the iPhone 4S. For example, this recent card failure news comes at the same time Samsung launched the Galaxy Nexus in the U.K. and customers in the U.S. may be weighing their next device purchase.

A group called Woo Servers suggested the glitch is caused by a design flaw with the SIM card tray that causes a short circuit and suggests fixing the problem with a piece of tape, but it's unknown if that information is correct. Also, restarting the device appears to fix the problem temporarily, and some users say completely restoring the phone in iTunes has worked for them.

Apple is already working on an iOS 5.0.2 update to further address battery issues reported with the 4S, and could perhaps address SIM card issues as well, but the company has made no official announcement to do so just yet.