Not too long ago, flip phones were all the rage. Their nifty, unique designs made them extremely popular with the young audience. However, 15 years ago, they weren’t smartphones; instead, they were used to make calls, send text messages, or for personal reminders. However, mobile phones today are nowhere similar to the phones we had 15 years ago. We are now equipped with mobile devices that can send emails, create project reports and presentations, and can even control smart appliances inside our homes.
Smart phones have become smarter than ever before. From iPhones, to other flagship products that come with bezel-less displays, 8K video resolution, biometric technology including facial recognition and even wireless charging, smartphones have become powerful gadgets, and can be considered as substitutes for laptops and cameras. In fact, mobile phones today come with processors that are even more powerful than the computer that was used for the 1969 Apollo moon landing!
Similar to groundbreaking innovations and technological disruptions that happened over the last 10 years, we can expect the next generation’s mobile phones to out-do the current ones, and make them obsolete. Here is how a smartphone can look 10 years from now.
Foldable Smartphones
In 2019, foldable smartphones like Samsung Galaxy Fold and Motorola Razr 2019 hit the markets, and one can assume that foldable smartphones will become more affordable, and become more popular over the coming years.
At the moment, foldable smartphones can be looked at as gimmicky phones that cater to an exclusive and unique market segment. However, over the coming years, foldable smart phones can replace the existing smartphone models, owing to the convenience they offer, and the fact that they could potentially make tablets redundant.
5G and 6G
Several countries around the world have already launched 5G networks, and it is expected that by mid-to-late 2021, Indian carriers too will start offering 5G services. It is expected that by 2025, smartphone brands will shift completely towards manufacturing of 5G mobile at a rapid speed, and while 4G services will still be offered by mobile carriers, it opens doors for countries to explore the possibility of even faster speeds, which could pave way for 6G, and subsequently 6G smartphones!
When 4G was initially introduced, the concept of 5G was still a distant dream. However, as technology continues to evolve, we find new ways to enhance our user-experience. Before we even talk about the possibility of 6G, we have to wait and see how people accept 5G, and if there is a demand for even faster speeds.
Camera Setup
While earlier versions of smartphones came with a teardrop notch for front-facing cameras, upcoming mobiles, including OPPO smartphones come with front-facing cameras under the display. This could be revolutionary, as it removes the snapper from the view, and will not take-up any space on the screen. Furthermore, newer smartphone models come with a dual front camera setup, with the secondary snapper for depth sensing, giving more accurate background blur. 10 years from now, brands can get even more innovative, and come up with a design where smartphones come with a triple front-camera setup.
Similarly, the primary cameras of smartphones have also undergone significant transformation, with the latest models such as the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 offering camera resolution of up to 108MP. These 8GB RAM phone will get even more intuitive and sophisticated, and it is being speculated that in 10 years, we could have smartphones that come with a resolution of 576MP! That would also eliminate the need to buy premium cameras, as photographers can rely on their smartphones to take pictures of the highest image quality.
No More Ports
Many current models, and upcoming mobiles come without a 3.5mm headphone jack, and one can expect that other brands will soon follow suit. As consumers now get acclimatized to wireless headphones and earphones, there will soon come a time when even the USB port will be removed from phone models. Considering there are a few smartphones which offer wireless charging, smartphones can soon rely on Wi-Fi, mobile data and NFC options to transfer data to a computer. This would make USB ports redundant, and smartphones without any ports can become commonplace in the next 10 years.
So these are the changes you will see in the upcoming smartphones.
