Method and apparatus for application data path selection on dual SIM device

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

at least two subscriber identification modules (SIMs), including a first SIM and a second SIM;

a memory storing multiple mobile applications for performing data operations, with at least two mobile applications among the multiple mobile applications assigned, based on a respective user-created setting for a corresponding one of the at least two mobile applications, to a user-selected one of the at least two SIMs for channeling respective data operations, wherein a first user-created setting for a first mobile application assigns data operations of the first mobile application for completion via a first data path comprising the first SIM, while a second user-created setting for a second mobile application assigns data operations of the second mobile application for completion via a second data path comprising the second SIM; and

a processor coupled to each of the at least two SIMs, and the memory, and which executes program code that enables the wireless communication device to:

select at least one mobile application to run from among the at least two mobile applications;

identify, for each of the at least one mobile application, a user-created setting that specifies one of the at least two SIMs as a preferred SIM to which the selected at least one mobile application is assigned; and

channel data operations associated with each of the at least one selected mobile application to a corresponding data path of the preferred SIM specified in the user-created setting for the corresponding at least one selected mobile application.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the program code further enables the device to:

create, for each selected mobile application, the setting specifying one of the at least two SIMs as the preferred SIM to which to assign the selected mobile application by:

displaying, on at least one electronic display of the wireless communication device, a menu item for assigning a selected mobile application to a preferred SIM from among the at least two SIMs; and

receiving a selection of one mobile application from among the multiple mobile applications;

receiving a selection of one preferred SIM to assign to the selected mobile application; and

assigning the selected mobile application to the selected preferred SIM.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the program code further enables the device to:

identify a data path selection rule that defines criteria for selecting the data path of the preferred SIM;

determine whether the criteria defined by the identified data path selection rule matches contextual information associated with the wireless communication device; and

in response to a determination that the criteria matches contextual information associated with the wireless communication device, selectively channel data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the preferred SIM.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein the program code further enables the device to:

identify a default SIM from among the at least two SIMs; and

in response to a determination that the criteria do not match the contextual information associated with the wireless communication device, selectively channel data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the default SIM.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 3 , wherein the program code further enables the device to:

identify the first SIM as a default SIM from among the at least two SIMs;

identify the second SIM as the preferred SIM;

identify contextual information that includes at least one of a current time or a current location;

channel data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the second SIM, in response to a determination that at least one of:

the current time is within a time window criterion defined by the identified data path selection rule; or

the current location is within a geographical area criterion defined by the identified data path selection rule.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the program code further enables the device to:

select the at least two mobile applications to run, including the first mobile application and the second mobile application;

identify a first setting that specifies the first SIM as the preferred SIM to which the selected first mobile application is assigned; and

identify a second setting that specifies the second SIM as the preferred SIM to which the selected second mobile application is assigned.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the program code further enables the device to:

in response identifying at least two selected mobile applications are assigned to different SIMs:

identify which of the first and second mobile applications is running as a background application and which application is running as a foreground application;

apply a quality of service (QoS) mechanism that throttles data throughputs of the background application; and

channel data operations associated with the foreground application to a data path of the preferred SIM specified in the identified setting corresponding to the foreground application.

8. A method comprising:

selecting at least one mobile application to run from among the at least two mobile applications on a wireless communication device, the device comprising:

at least two subscriber identification modules (SIMs), including a first SIM and a second SIM;

a memory storing multiple mobile applications for performing data operations, with at least two mobile applications among the multiple mobile applications assigned, based on a respective user-created setting for a corresponding one of the at least two mobile applications, to a user-selected one of the at least two SIMs for channeling respective data operations, wherein a first user-created setting for a first mobile application assigns data operations of the first mobile application for completion via a first data path comprising the first SIM, while a second user-created setting for a second mobile application assigns data operations of the second mobile application for completion via a second data path comprising the second SIM; and

a processor coupled to each of the at least two SIMs and the memory;

identifying, for each of the at least one mobile application, a user-created setting that specifies one of the at least two SIMs as a preferred SIM to which the selected at least one mobile application is assigned; and

channeling data operations associated with each of the at least one selected mobile application to a corresponding data path of the preferred SIM specified in the user-created setting for the corresponding at least one selected mobile application.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

generating, for the selected mobile application, the setting specifying one of the at least two SIMs as the preferred SIM to which to assign the selected mobile application by:

displaying, on at least one electronic display of the wireless communication device, a menu item for assigning a selected mobile application to a preferred SIM from among the at least two SIMs; and

receiving a selection of one mobile application from among the multiple mobile applications;

receiving a selection of one preferred SIM to assign to the selected mobile application; and

assigning the selected mobile application to the selected preferred SIM.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

identifying a data path selection rule that defines criteria for selecting the data path of the preferred SIM;

determining whether the criteria defined by the identified data path selection rule matches contextual information associated with the wireless communication device;

in response to a determination that the criteria matches contextual information associated with the wireless communication device, selectively channeling data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the preferred SIM.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

identifying a default SIM from among the at least two SIMs; and

in response to a determination that the criteria do not match the contextual information associated with the wireless communication device, selectively channeling data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the default SIM.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

identifying the first SIM as a default SIM from among the at least two SIMs;

identifying the second SIM as the preferred SIM;

identifying contextual information that includes a current time; and

channeling data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the second SIM, in response to a determination that at least one of:

the current time is within a time window criterion defined by the identified data path selection rule; or

the current location is within a geographical area criterion defined by the identified data path selection rule.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

selecting at least two mobile applications to run, including a first mobile application and a second mobile application;

identifying a first setting that specifies the first SIM as the preferred SIM to which the selected first mobile application is assigned; and

identifying a second setting that specifies the second SIM as the preferred SIM to which the selected second mobile application is assigned.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

in response identifying at least two selected mobile applications are assigned to different SIMs:

identifying which of the first and second mobile applications is running as a background application and which application is running as a foreground application;

applying a quality of service (QoS) mechanism that throttles data throughputs of the background application; and

channeling data operations associated with the foreground application to a data path of the preferred SIM specified in the identified setting corresponding to the foreground application.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage device;

program code on the computer readable storage device that when executed by a processor associated with an electronic device, the program code enables the wireless communication device to provide the functionality of:

selecting at least one mobile application to run from among the at least two mobile applications on the electronic device, the device comprising:

at least two subscriber identification modules (SIMs), including a first SIM and a second SIM;

a memory storing multiple mobile applications for performing data operations, with at least two mobile applications among the multiple mobile applications assigned, based on a respective user-created setting for a corresponding one of the at least two mobile applications, to a user-selected one of the at least two SIMs for channeling respective data operations, wherein a first user-created setting for a first mobile application assigns data operations of the first mobile application for completion via a first data path comprising the first SIM, while a second user-created setting for a second mobile application assigns data operations of the second mobile application for completion via a second data path comprising the second SIM; and

the processor coupled to each of the at least two SIMs and the memory;

identifying, for each of the at least one mobile application, a user-created setting that specifies one of the at least two SIMs as a preferred SIM to which the selected at least one mobile application is assigned; and

channeling data operations associated with each of the at least one selected mobile application to a corresponding data path of the preferred SIM specified in the user-created setting for the corresponding at least one selected mobile application.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program code comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, enables the electronic device to provide the functionality of:

generating, for the selected mobile application, the setting specifying one of the at least two SIMs as the preferred SIM to which to assign the selected mobile application by:

displaying, on at least one electronic display of the electronic device, a menu item for assigning a selected mobile application to a preferred SIM from among the at least two SIMs; and

receiving a selection of one mobile application from among the multiple mobile applications;

receiving a selection of one preferred SIM to assign to the selected mobile application;

assigning the selected mobile application to the selected preferred SIM.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program code comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, enables the electronic device to provide the functionality of:

identify a default SIM from among the at least two SIMs;

identifying a data path selection rule that defines criteria for selecting the data path of the preferred SIM;

determining whether the criteria defined by the identified data path selection rule matches contextual information associated with the wireless communication device;

in response to a determination that the criteria matches contextual information associated with the wireless communication device, selectively channeling data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the preferred SIM; and

in response to a determination that the criteria do not match the contextual information associated with the wireless communication device, selectively channeling data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the default SIM.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the program code comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, enables the electronic device to provide the functionality of:

identifying the first SIM as a default SIM from among the at least two SIMs;

identifying the second SIM as the preferred SIM;

identifying contextual information that includes a current time; and

channeling data operations associated with the selected mobile application to the data path of the second SIM, in response to a determination that at least one of:

the current time is within a time window criterion defined by the identified data path selection rule; or

the current location is within a geographical area criterion defined by the identified data path selection rule.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program code comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, enables the electronic device to provide the functionality of:

selecting at least two mobile applications to run, including a first mobile application and a second mobile application;

identifying a first setting that specifies the first SIM as the preferred SIM to which the selected first mobile application is assigned; and

identifying a second setting in which the selected second mobile application is assigned to the second SIM as the preferred SIM.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program code comprises program code that, when executed by the processor, enables the electronic device to provide the functionality of:

in response identifying at least two selected mobile applications are assigned to different SIMs:

identifying which of the first and second mobile applications is running as a background application and which application is running as a foreground application;

applying a quality of service (QoS) mechanism that throttles data throughputs of the background application; and

channeling data operations associated with the foreground application to a data path of the preferred SIM specified in the identified setting corresponding to the foreground application.