The first mobile phones were used exclusively for conversation and then the functions were gradually expanded with voicemail, SMS-sending-receiving, etc., but the main goal was still conversation. Until finally, manufacturers figured out that they could integrate other technologies into their mobile phones and add even more new features. The earliest smartphone was an email account, fax, pager, and address book at the same time. In recent years, the mobile phone has evolved from a verbal communication device to a multimedia device, no longer referred to as a telephone but as a “mobile device”. Nowadays, we use our mobile phones to browse the internet, read e-mails, take photos, play games, update the status of social networking sites rather than make actual phone calls.
Mobile phones are becoming easier to use, thanks to the rapid growth of software, better display resolution, a constantly improved interface, and so on. Add to this the ever-increasing memory, which has storage capacity like a not-so-old personal computer, it’s no surprise why the mobile phone market has spun up so much. In addition, these mobile devices replace our other gadgets, such as cameras and camcorders. Upgraded smartphones override all the demands that the average consumer has on their phone. The smartphone app market has turned the phone into a virtual toolbar that offers solutions to almost every problem.
Changing shape
Along with technological changes, the appearance of phones has also undergone changes: their size has dropped drastically, as have personal computers over time. After all, in recent years, mobile phones have begun to take a larger and cleaner form, satisfying the natural need for a larger screen area and fewer buttons. As phones have become entertainment devices, the most desirable aspect is the high-resolution screen for optimal browsing. Even the traditional keyboard has been replaced by a touch screen keyboard that pops up only when needed.
Adaptive functions
The bigger screen-to-body ratio makes watching a movie or playing a game even more enjoyable. Transferring the keyboard from physical keyboards to the screen makes it able to be more adaptive to your needs. So when you’re watching a movie, the keyboards disappear at all because you don’t need them. When you’re playing a game like slots or roulette where you need only a few buttons these will appear within the game. And when you’re writing a message or searching for something the keyboard will appear fully.
The future of mobile phones
Mobile phones have changed and evolved to such an extent over the last decade that nothing seems unthinkable for the future anymore. Experts say this trend seems likely to continue, with all of our technology devices being condensed into a single mobile device. Within a few years, traditional cell phones are expected to disappear for good, and smartphones will presumably no longer be called “smart,” just as “color TV” is no longer called color.
It is likely that the mobile phones of the future will increasingly adapt to our senses, forming a natural harmony with our biological processes such as eye movements, thought processes, or even our cultural preferences. The question no longer arises as to the direction in which our mobile devices may change, but also how we will change in the process.
Five main trends in the mobile sector
- 5G – smartphone supporter – 5G networks are slowly catching up with Wi-Fi among popular forms of connecting to the Internet. The 5G also provides a good connection for the increasingly popular wearable devices such as heart rate monitors and smartwatches.
- Feature-to-feature – For most consumers, a smartphone is still not the primary method of payment; only one-third of users use the mobile to pay. The situation is similar to entertainment. The small screen is still not the primary choice for viewing content: the global average is around 15%.
- The opportunities offered by the Internet of Things – Calling for help from IoT devices seems to be a growing market segment in the field of health. Possession of wearable devices for vital signs is around 3% in most countries and slightly higher at 7% in developing countries. The proportion of smart cars is similar, consumers are approx. 5% have or have access to such a vehicle.
- Secure – Most respondents do not care too much about data security: in developed countries, roughly 70% of consumers have already shared personal data online. And in developing countries, it is over 80%. However, the issue of security prevents consumers from using certain technologies.
- Mobile device sales – More than a quarter of phones are resold in the market. With stronger and more targeted programs, manufacturers and service providers can stay in touch with customers who sell their current mobile for improvement.
