The smartphone industry has seen numerous advancements in recent years, including the innovation of advanced features such as 5G technology and foldable screens.
From the moment of their introduction to global markets, mobile phones have evolved rapidly. Experts say we are now entering a new era of mobile phone technology, with the smartphones of the future incorporating increasingly superior and sophisticated functions and features.
Humble Beginnings
Mobile technology has evolved almost beyond recognition, primarily in terms of style and appearance. Cell phones evolved from the candy-bar style to the flip phone, then the slide phone, with its tactile operations and modern design, followed by the touchscreen phone, which remains the most popular style available in the smartphone market today.
Like desktop computers and laptops, early cell phones were large and cumbersome to carry around. Today, smartphones are small and lightweight, evolving to not only meet the expectations and needs of modern users but to be more user-friendly and portable.
Functionality has increased exponentially with each reiteration of the mobile phone. Although created simply to facilitate voice communication, mobile phones today effectively serve as mobile computers; users can check and send emails and text messages, live stream media, download files, play games, listen to music, access the internet, and capture and store photographs and videos, along with many other functions. The incorporation of AI technology is increasingly widening the breadth of mobile technology, paving the way for human-machine interaction through the development of voice-operated digital assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Cortana.
Have Smartphones Peaked?
Besides facilitating communication, modern mobile phones allow users to download a plethora of different apps to make various aspects of their daily lives easier. From shopping to money management to health management apps, mobile technology is facilitating a new age of hyperconnectivity—although some tech experts warn that these ground-breaking innovations could prove to be the smartphone’s downfall.
The pager and fax machine are both communication devices that were hailed as revolutionary upon their unveiling, but they are now all but extinct. Today, the notion of abandoning the smartphone seems almost unthinkable. According to data from Pew Research Center, 77 percent of adults in the United States own a smartphone. However, some industry insiders suggest that increasing integration of tech innovations like virtual reality, augmented reality, voice assistants, and artificial intelligence in mobile technology might lead to the smartphone falling out of favor as consumers migrate toward headsets and similar emerging technologies.
Nevertheless, currently, and for the near future at least, smartphones play an integral role in the daily lives of most modern consumers. Looking forward, experts predict a variety of exciting developments in smartphone technology.
Universal Wireless Charging
Touted as one of the most practical future features, it is already possible to buy wireless charging stands and pucks that are compatible with a variety of different digital devices, wearables, and smartphones.
In addition, several governments are currently pushing for a universal charger mandate, with India following in the footsteps of the EU, which set a 2024 deadline for Apple to transition to the USB-C standard adopted by all other mobile phone manufacturers for the European market.
Foldables
One of the main advantages of foldable phones is the potential for an increase in screen size without sacrificing portability. However, experts warn that before foldables can take off, manufacturers need to iron out a few snagging issues, starting with cost.
Commanding a $999 price tag, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is beyond the means of many consumers, with bigger foldables like the Fold 3 closer to the $2,000 mark. Yet, as folding components advance, costs are likely to fall.
6G
With 5G still in its infancy, talk of a successor seems premature. However, major mobile companies like Apple, Samsung, and Nokia are already showing a keen interest in developing 6G technology, which is tipped to be a broadband cellular network that provides even greater internet access at higher speeds.
Beyond being faster than 5G and supporting larger data rates, 6G could feature artificial intelligence capabilities, which could be used to design, optimize, and support 6G operations.
No SIM Cards
Although mobile phone manufacturers have made waves in terms of reducing the size of SIM cards, the concept is beginning to jar with modern smartphone technology, feeling like an unwanted remnant of the ‘90s. Enter Apple and Samsung, two companies that are making strides in the development of electronic, programable SIM cards that will enable users to switch between network operators at the drop of a hat, without needing to request a new SIM card.