How Future Cell Phone Technology Might Evolve
It’s difficult to gauge what future cell phone technology will be. As components become smaller and more advance there are obviously endless possibilities. What is possible is not always what drives innovation. What people need and what they feel comfortable is more of a deciding factor than what is actually possible.
One thing that might determine future cell phone technology is defining what it actually is. It is safe to say that any current model is going to have far more capability than just making calls. As computers have become more a part of out lives more and more of this technology has transferred itself to our mobile devices. They now perform far more functions than they where ever intended to.
The thing is that many of these functions are more accessible on a tablet computer. If tablets are then able to make calls, at what point do you distinguish between a computer and a cell phone? This point of distinction is where the entire future of this technology could become defined.
One possibility is that both will become fully integrated. Large smartphones will become the norm as we will constantly be accessing content which requires the large screen. The other possibility is that tablet computers will become more universal and become an indispensable part of our lives and phones will become really small and simple with only the most basic call functionality.
These tiny phones might be the size of current blue tooth headsets and might be completely voice controlled. It is actually very likely that tablets will have call functionality and this might link to a Wi-Fi headset that allows you to make and receive calls within a set distance from your portable computing device. Some predict that you will even be able to have the receiver implanted in or around your ear.
Let assume that the current touch screen smartphone remains the predominant format. What advances could we then expect? In this case it is hard to image anything that you are not already getting. Obviously processor speed and memory is going to keep increasing. This means the functionality will one day match that of your desktop or laptop. Eventually there might be no difference between computer operating systems and mobile ones.
How we interact with this information might be likely to change though. Any useful technology is hampered by the fact that mobile devices have restricted keyboards and small screens. Already it is possible to make phones that are paper thin and some prototypes look like nothing more than a thin glass screen. This simply has novelty value because it doesn’t enhance the functionality in any way but it does point the way to some peripheral devices.
Flexible screens are already a possibility although they are limited to how much they can bend. In future it might be possible to have screen that is at least ten inches across but that can roll up to the width of no more than half and inch. This means that mobile TV could fit into your top pocket. Another possibility that this presents is that you will also be able to have a roll up keyboard. You could then have a mobile computer that could fit into a cigar tube. Projectors are already available as accessories and these might even become incorporated into a device which can then project the screen on to any surface.
Typing can be such a drag though and even voice commands can be problematic. Would it not be better if the device could just read your mind. This is already possible and may become part of future cell phone technology. Sensors are able to interpret signals from your brain and translate images that you are imagining. There is also a different method which interprets commands that you think. This will lead to a new way of communicating with any device and each other.
One day we might not need keyboards of any sort and we will just be able to type by thinking or operate any commands with thoughts. 3D screens are not too far off but to make the whole thing more convenient why not have the screens as part of the lenses of glasses that you wear. The arms of these glasses would house many of the components and would obviously be connected to an ear piece. They would also be able to pick up your brain waves so that you could control what you see on the screen simply be thinking.
Although this cell phone technology is possible it might not be appealing to many people. As is very often the case it is not the innovations that are not possible but the ideas which we are comfortable with that hold us back. Whatever the possibilities are it is likely that our portable devices will become more of a part of everything that we do.
