Mobile phones have come a long way since the 1990’s, where few technological advances have been applied to the mobile phone as we know it today. But thanks to technology in recent years, we can now expect the bridge between mobile phones and other electronics to merge- and create new types of powerhouse electronics.
For those who are a photographer at heart, the mobile phone is a great way to take pictures on the go. Mobile phones are commonly about the same size as a digital camera, and recent technologies have enabled them to be on par in terms of resolution and picture quality. It isn’t uncommon to see a 6 mega-pixel camera on today’s market- something that was unheard of just 10 years ago!
It’s hard to imagine using a mobile phone without also considering the prospect of being networked with friends and family members. But networking on today’s standards is much different. We now have Bluetooth and infrared technologies that can connect devices without a thought of a wire. Wireless technologies are also becoming popular in business-class phones, where actual Internet access can even be obtained from wireless Internet spots.
Today’s society is absolutely riddled with video games. It isn’t hard to estimate that the mobile phone would succumb to this fact sooner or later. Indeed it has, as some mobile phones such as the Nokia N-Gage have already dedicated most of mobile hardware technologies in making a mobile gaming platform. This obscures the line between game console and mobile phone, but rest assured, the mobile phone won’t be overtaking the home console market anytime soon.
Also beneficial to mobile phone users is the fact that mobile phone networks are becoming faster, more dependable, and maintain larger areas of coverage. Current trends in mobile phones are shifting towards the 3G network, which has taken advantage of high speed networks to deliver content faster and more reliably. The upcoming 4G network is also expected to make quite a stir in the mobile phone community as well.
Lastly, mobile phone companies are now starting to input innovative features such as the global positioning system as an everyday feature for consumers. Already, mobile phones are able to send emergency hotlines location data for those who are on their mobile phone at the time of the call. This functionality is being extended to the consumer range for applications such as finding a certain location, getting driving instructions, and even estimated times of arrival. There is still room for expansion, but already the GPS is proving to be a vital consumer application in mobile phones.
Closing Comments
It’s tough to tell where the mobile industry is going, but it’s easy to say where it’s been. The mobile phone industry has made considerable progress over the years, and there is no signs in showing that this progress is slowing down any. Mobile users get the benefit of this upstart in technological advances, although it doesn’t always come cheap. It won’t be long until mobile phones become multi-use consumer electronics, but many would attest that they have already become so with their vast features and options.