What Is the Future of Mobile Devices?

April 28, 2020 • Shannon Flynn

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Cellphones have come a long way in their relatively short history. If you think about all the phones you’ve owned, you’ll probably notice a considerable difference between each one due to technological advances. Today’s smartphones were once a thing of sci-fi, after all. So what’s next in the future of mobile devices?

Technology today, including smartphones, advances at an exponential rate. While it may be impossible to predict what phones will look like 10 years from now, there are some emerging trends. Here are a few features you could see in phones of the future.

1. Flexible Displays

You may think flip phones have gone the way of the dinosaurs, but they’re coming back. Folding smartphones are already available today from industry leaders like Samsung. These models leave something to be desired, but they’re improving and show promise.

Flexible smartphones will arise out of necessity. Think of how convenient it would be to fold your phone in half or roll it up to store it. Flexible screens are also less likely to break if dropped.

2. Contactless Charging

Many new cellphones offer wireless charging, and this trend will likely grow. The next logical step is being able to charge your phone without needing any kind of contact. You could recharge your smartphone while it stays in your pocket.

This technology may not be a long way off, either. Researchers at the University of Washington created a battery-free phone that works up to 50 feet away from its power source. Cellphones already use electromagnetic waves to communicate, so why not use them for charging?

3. Sustainability

The future of mobile devices will likely be an environmentally friendly one. Sustainability is a growing concern for businesses and consumers alike, and this trend will continue. As environmental issues become more prevalent, phone companies will start releasing more eco-friendly products.

Smartphone sustainability can come about in a few different ways. You could make phones out of eco-friendly materials or offer renewable charging methods like solar power. You could also opt to go green in the manufacturing process itself.

4. User Behavior Analytics

As smartphone usage increases, data security becomes a more pressing concern. More than 80% of smartphone users say security factors into their decisions about downloading an app. Because of this, the future of mobile devices will include stronger security measures like user behavior analytics.

User behavior analytics uses AI to learn how you interact with your cellphone. It takes notice of things like browsing habits, in-app behavior and when you open different apps. With this information, your phone will be able to tell if someone else is using it and take appropriate security measures.

5. Wearables

The smartphones of tomorrow may not be devices you hold in your hand. The success of wearable tech could lead to smartphones themselves becoming wearables. Future mobile devices could take the form of wristbands or eyeglasses. 

Google Glass may have been a flop, but wearables have significantly improved since then. Augmented reality (AR) is increasingly popular, so turning phones into AR wearables isn’t an absurd idea. The potential of a smartphone with 100% hands-free operation is too tempting for businesses to ignore.

Smartphones Today and Tomorrow

If one thing’s certain, it’s that the future of mobile devices is a bright one. Smartphones today are already miles ahead of what they were just a few years ago. It stands to reason that in the next few years, you’ll see an equal if not greater leap in quality.

There are a lot of promising developments in smartphone technology right now. As time goes on, you’ll hear about even more. It’s challenging to say what precisely the future of phones is, but it will certainly be worth waiting for.

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