In the past decade, mobile phones have evolved to be un par with personal computers. There’s almost no desktop feature that’s not available on smartphones. Owners use them to watch movies, edit texts, schedule meetings and do other tasks.
To think that all this started with bulky cellular phones almost 50 years ago! But, the progress doesn’t end at the current stage – there are new developments in smartphone tech. They can define what future devices will look like, and currently, there are several trends users should be aware of.
Foldable Phones
Companies have been looking into changing smartphone design for some time. Some of them have experimented with foldable devices. A couple of years ago, developers released Motorola Razr 2019 and Samsung Galaxy Fold. This trend can continue if there’s enough interest from the market. By the end of the 2020s, foldable phones could be common among users.
Despite their cool look, most companies believe this structure to be a fad. There are several reasons. The price makes them unaffordable for most users. So, a student who wants to write an essay will probably use a tablet or a laptop instead. Additionally, the software hasn’t been developed well enough to make the most of the foldable form.
When such phones become affordable and versatile, the public will follow. It may take almost a decade to perfect the technology for commercial use. There’s also the question of how fast users will want to give up traditional phones.
Air Charging
Smartphone batteries are infamous for their fast discharge time. Even the high-end phones last around 48 hours. Users have only two options: use a wall charger or a wireless pad, which isn’t available for all devices. A third option can appear in the future, thanks to the efforts by a company called Energous.
Their engineers are working on a device that charges smartphones over the air. Users will place smartphones within three feet of the WattUp Mid Field. The transmitter will then start charging. While the technology is short-range at the moment, it has excellent potential. In the future, devices might be charged at great distances.
With the proper funding and approach, charging stations can operate as cellphone towers. As a result, batteries will be charged from neighboring cities. This eliminates the need for conventional charges and keeps battery life at 100%. If they succeed, users won’t have to worry about charging devices again.
Mind Control
Since the dawn of cell phones, there have been a few ways of inputting data. It started out with a simple keyboard and got replaced by touchscreens. Users can interact with voice commands via Samsung Bixby and Google Assistant apps. This may sound futuristic, but mind control can be the next step.
The technology can replace touch and voice commands. It will take seconds to play a video, open an app or work with image editors. The same things can be done with:
- Adjusting screen brightness
- Typing and sending text messages
- Making videos out of the recordings
Of course, it’s still all theoretical. The technology can make working with smartphones as fast as thinking. Users won’t get their hands on mind control devices any time soon – but that doesn’t mean that no work is done in this regard.
For example, Facebook worked on a tech that allows typing with the mind in 2017. The Building 8 division wants to give users the ability to text at 100 words per minute. This is approximately five times faster than using the phone touchscreen.
Modular Components
Built-in components remain one of the drawbacks smartphones have. But, this can change with the coming of modular phones. Companies have been playing around with the idea for some time – if it becomes a reality, owners will be able to upgrade devices with:
- Advanced processor units
- More powerful batteries
- Better cameras
- Extra sensors
LG tried to make this dream real by introducing its G5 model. The device had a removable bottom section for adding a Hi-Fi DAC or a camera with a shutter button. But, this technology was abandoned by next year. Motorola also took a crack at modular phones with the Moto Z series.
The company created accessories that could be attached to the back of the phone. Users could add a Hasselblad camera, a JBL speaker, and even a movie projector. These attachments worked on several generations of devices. The market didn’t find the lineup interesting, and as a result, the company canned module phone production.
By far, the most futuristic project was developed at Google labs. They came up with a prototype called Project Ara. The developers wanted to give owners the ability to change individual phone components; they would be able to keep the device updated with the latest hardware pieces. Unfortunately, Google also abandoned the project.
Stretchable Phones
While the public might have heard about foldable phones, there’s a new niche tech on the horizon. Instead of folding the screen like FlexPai, such phones can stretch to increase size. To do this, users have to pull the phone from two corners diagonally.
Such innovation would increase the device size while watching videos. Afterward, it could be shrunk down to fit into a pocket. Engineers have to make sure that all components can be stretched, not the display alone. Of course, there has to be a limit on how far the devices can be widened.
Companies already work on stretchable displays – but the tech is far from perfect. It may be decades before users get their hands on such devices. Back in 2017, Samsung announced work on a prototype that could stretch 12mm without damage!
Final Thoughts
Despite which technology will make it to the next decade, the age of regular smartphones may gradually end. They’re not going away any time soon, but it seems that new tech will emerge along the way. Perhaps, most users will be able to stretch phones and use voice commands by the time 2035 arrives. Only the future will tell!
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article