I'm afraid the author of this blog post doesn't know what a SIM card is.
First of all, it's a secure element: it allows authentication of the user's credentials with the cell phone. SIMs and smart cards in general provide security at the hardware level as well as the software level (using Triple DES encryption).
Also, they are essential in NFC: that standard is developed around the SIM card and the ISO 14443 standard.
Recent technology also allows the development of Java programs WITHIN the SIM card (it's called a JavaCard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_Card ) and allows to use a single SIM for multiple applications. For instance, you could use your phone's SIM as a mobile wallet, a metro pass, etc...
Of course, as many others have noted in this thread, removing the SIM card would just add the vendor lock-in inside the phone.
Where I live (France), most phones can be legally (or illegally) unlocked to accept different SIM cards.
FYI, SIM cards aren't necessary for NFC. In fact, it is only the carriers that would prefer the SIM be used as the secure element, as they have control over it. Other potential NFC players would prefer the secure element be separate, so that the carrier doesn't have control over NFC-based transactions. And, ISO 14443 is not directly related NFC, which is governed by ISO 18092 and ISO 21481.
First of all, it's a secure element: it allows authentication of the user's credentials with the cell phone. SIMs and smart cards in general provide security at the hardware level as well as the software level (using Triple DES encryption).
Also, they are essential in NFC: that standard is developed around the SIM card and the ISO 14443 standard.
Recent technology also allows the development of Java programs WITHIN the SIM card (it's called a JavaCard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_Card ) and allows to use a single SIM for multiple applications. For instance, you could use your phone's SIM as a mobile wallet, a metro pass, etc...
Of course, as many others have noted in this thread, removing the SIM card would just add the vendor lock-in inside the phone.
Where I live (France), most phones can be legally (or illegally) unlocked to accept different SIM cards.