What’s Next in the World of Smartphones?
Figure 1 There are already folding phones – but there will be more
Personal phones have been the must-have piece of tech ever since the bricks of the 1980s, coveted by Wall Street businessmen and hip hop artists alike. But it was the launch of the iPhone and other similar mobile phones that really saw the sector really take off.
Now, we find that our entire lives are run and organized by our smartphones. We consult our smartphones for everything from switching our security systems on when we leave the house to browsing the internet to see what the latest Bovada deposit bonus is.
Although the smartphone market experienced a temporary blip when we came out of the pandemic lockdowns, sales are up and the public is more than happy to trade up for a new model. With that in mind, we thought we would have a look at some of the developments we should be expecting sooner, rather than later. What will make us sign up for another new smartphone contract in the next year or so?
Wireless Charging
Back in 2016, the world reacted in horror when Apple launched its iPhone 7 without a headphone jack. Customers who had relied on it to listen to podcasts and music said that it was a step too far. How times change. Now almost every smartphone has no jack port and people are quite happy with earbuds.
But the next move will undoubtedly be removing any port at all and introducing effective wireless charging. Wireless charging is already here, of course. But it is still a little clunky. Expect the manufacturers to see the benefits of developing stands and packs that work for all – or that they are forced to comply with the market demands.
More Foldables
This is another piece of tech for the future that has its origins in the past. Flip phones used to be all the rage and then bigger screens for smartphones meant that they became a little old-fashioned. But now there has been the re-introduction of foldable phones – and many more are on their way.
This time we have the technology available to allow the actual screen to be folded, and Samsung have led the way with some eye-catching designs. With even more durability over the next few years, we should see bigger and better foldable smartphones on the market.
Sustainable Tech
This is one area of business that every sector is looking to improve on. The general public has become far more interested in sustainable goods and technology – and smartphones will need to follow that trend too. An environmentally-minded customer will demand all his or her devices fall into line.
Cleaner energy charging and more sustainable materials are the two obvious ways that phone developers can work towards net zero targets. But there is also a bigger market for refurbished phones emerging, thanks in part to the fact that these devices are of a much higher quality than before.
Longer Battery Life
This has been what customers have been crying out for. Conspiracy theorists have even believed that the major phone manufacturers have gotten together to ensure that more new phones are bought because of decreasing battery life. But now seems to be the time to get ready for longer battery life.
You can file this one alongside wireless charging. Apple is already looking to change perceptions by introducing a longer-lasting battery in a move that will surely be followed by all the other major players. Just imagine not having to leave a phone charging for hours to see you through the day!
Hologram Displays
Now we are really moving into the realm of sci-fi. Well, not really. Holographic displays are used in many places these days, as Tupac’s eye-catching “live” gigs have shown. But using the technology in smartphones has taken a little longer for obvious reasons.
This may not be something that is introduced straight away. However, there are developers working on the tech that will allow phone users to view 3D displays. The uses for this tech seem endless, with teaching and entertainment purposes something that users will surely snap up as soon as possible.
Figure 2 Holographic displays will really bring the future to the present day
AI and ML
Have you had enough of hearing about artificial intelligence (AI) yet? Well, don’t get too comfortable. The use of AI is already a thing when it comes to smartphones but in the next few years, we are likely to see it play an even bigger part – as with just about every industry in the world.
Alongside machine learning (ML), the algorithms used by smartphones will make our usage even more efficient. There is still obviously a lot of concern about the implementation of AI and ML. But, in the right hands, this kind of technology can really help us in our everyday lives across the board.
Universal Internet of Things
Many people already use their smartphones in conjunction with the tech in their homes as an introduction to living with the Internet of Things (IoT). It is nothing new for people to be able to check their security or switch the dishwasher on using their smartphones remotely.
But, just as with wireless charging – and many other aspects of smartphone technology – we may be able to see a greater level of universal use introduced. Not having to either confine yourself to one manufacturer, or have any number of remotes, is surely a selling point for many people – and a potential game-changer.