What do you think is the next "big thing" in smartphones?

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Alex_Hong

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Jul 30, 2012
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When I think about things in mobile that I consider to be "Big", I think about when Motorola first cut the cord to the phone. I think about how the Apple changed the industry and the pace it was moving at with the original iPhone. Nobody saw both coming. I think if it is going to be "big" enough, it will probably be something that no one can foretell, certainly not me as a consumer.

I can hazard a guess and quote some ideas from sci-fi flicks. Like holographic projection? Chips that are integrated into the palm of our hands like in the remake of Total Recall, and any glass can become your display, and it probably runs off the energy our body produced? Flexible phone with not just a flexible screen, but flexible circuitry, flexible battery, etc? I could go on and on, and any one of those would be amazing. But really, I think it's going to be incremental updates from here on.

A couple of things that I think will be kinda big to me,

1. Battery Longevity
As smartphone gets more and more powerful, and replaces more and more things in our daily lives, it's kinda disappointing that a phone that lasts just a single day of moderate use is considered to be good. I would consider it a big thing if a manufacturer can produce a smartphone that lasts a week of use on a single charge while maintaining pocket-ability. I have always admired Apple for their battery optimisation on iPhone. They don't have the biggest battery, but through smart optimisation, they lasts as long as phones with larger battery from the same usage.

2. Co-Processors
Again, I am quite interested with how manufacturers can take advantage of custom co-processors to enable new uses for our smartphones. Motorola with the Moto X has proved that having these co-processors not only enable new features, but allow for better battery life too. Some applications which I find interesting are;

Touchless Controls with Voice Assistance
It is still rough around the edges, but I can see how this can be extremely useful in a lot of situations. Like driving, or you just want to set an alarm/reminder/calendar, but your hands are unavailable (carrying things, typing, lying in bed, etc). One thing that I think Apple has done right with SIRI, are the ability to change settings using voice. "Turn on Bluetooth", "Turn down the brightness", etc. The thing that is great about Google Now is how integrated it is to Google's services. Like if you have an email to your gmail about your boarding pass, GNow knows it. If you have search for a location on GMaps, GNow will know it too. It's a rudimentary attempt and pre-empting a user's needs, but it does sort of work. In the future I expect them to work for more things for both Google Now and SIRI (perhaps even the rumoured Cortana for Windows Phone). Features that they can "learn" from each other to better themselves. Think A.I. like VIKI from iRobot, think Hal 9000 from Space Odyssey, think Jarvis, think... you get the idea. Basically do more with our smartphones, without actually the need to pick up our smartphones.

For e.g. I am on the tube, the phone sees that I have an appointment with John and the GPS shows me travelling towards that direction. It then tries to give an ETA, if I might run late, it will prompt me if I want to send a message to John telling him I might be late.

Apple M7 Motion Co-Processor
Again, this is basically a way to do more with our smartphones, without actually the need to pick up our smartphones. Automation. A great example would be the recent Runkeeper app, or Nike+, which is able to use the co-processor to track activity and storing the information within the processor itself so the app doesn't even have to be running. Once you open the app, the data stored can be accessed by the applications. Again with a low powered co-processor it can constantly track motion without using less power. I seem to recall reading about a patent to use on-board sensors in tandem with the vibrator motor to adjust the impact position of a phone in case it was dropped? That would be useful and would certainly be possible now there is co-processor that can always be running without draining the battery.

I think finding new ways to utilise co-processors will be something that could change the way we use our smartphones.
 

svelt

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Holographic keyboards and displays that expand to form right out of the smartphone. Maybe a long time down the line, but would eliminate the need for desktops and laptops... one device would do everything except for cutting edge processing items.
 

Kashan Osama

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Holographic keyboards and displays that expand to form right out of the smartphone. Maybe a long time down the line, but would eliminate the need for desktops and laptops... one device would do everything except for cutting edge processing items.


Holographic projection :)
 

johnboysupergolf

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The next big thing(hopefully)and a game changer
will not be the phone, but the battery technology.
Imagine a smartphone that can last 3 days on one charge whilst getting used constantly. Apple were supposed to have invested heavily in a Japanese battery manufacturer a few years ago so perhaps it's not too far fetched.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

mulasien

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Unfortunately, the industry seems to be marching down the bigger phone route. I have been lamenting how all the OEMs no longer feel making small devices with the top end specs are a priority to them, and that's a sad truth that I may have to accept.

Take heart. Remember it wasn't that long ago where making the smallest phone possible was the trend (i.e. zoolander phone). I see this race to be the biggest as the new trend all the phone makers are chasing to try to stand out. Eventually sanity will prevail again and we'll get a 'normal' size until the next big fad to be chased comes about.

I'm glad that Apple doesn't just jump on whatever the current tech-fad is in a desperate attempt to move few more units.
 
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