As anyone who recalls the bulky size and limited functionality of the first commercially available cellphones can attest, mobile phone technology has come a long way since its introduction in the 1980s. And today, the technological gains being made with smartphones seem to happen more rapidly than ever.
Significant technological developments tend to happen so fast that even a device made just a year ago can seem miles behind the newest releases, especially in certain fast-evolving areas. Consider these four areas the latest smartphone releases have made especially substantial gains over their recent predecessors in the past couple of years:
- Cutting-edge cameras: Today’s smartphones take better pictures than ever, often even rivaling images shot with professional cameras. The huge gains are being made thanks to bigger and more powerful sensors, increasingly large image resolution and smarter photography software. Further, new photographic tools such as Apple’s Night mode and Cinematic mode and Samsung’s Nightography camera are being added that let users take great photos even in challenging conditions, edit their images on a near-professional level and add an array of effects that can bring extra appeal to their photos.
- Dazzling design: Smartphones have long been getting thinner and lighter, but recent design developments are enabling science fiction-esque capabilities. A couple of prime examples include the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3, which sport screens that are bendable and even foldable for added portability. With them, users have a smartphone that can collapse down for an easy fit into tight pockets or small purses, then fold or flip open to deliver a screen the size of a small tablet or a highly advanced version of the old-school flip phone experience.
- Longer-lasting batteries: As ever-present as consumers’ smartphones seem to be these days with apps available that cover a broad range of everyday functionalities, the devices’ power supplies can be put under near-constant strain. Fortunately, smartphones’ battery technology has evolved with the rest of the devices’ hardware. And with some of the latest smartphone offerings, batteries can last for nearly a full day under heavy use before needing a charge and they can charge up faster than ever. One example is the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max, which can deliver more than 12 hours of battery life on a single charge.
- Increasingly intelligent digital assistants: Virtual assistants are getting smarter with each new generation of smartphone released. For example, with their latest iterations, Apple’s Siri and Samsung’s Bixby allow users to simply ask their smartphones questions without having to type in a search, then offer spoken answers in a human-like voice. Among other advanced and ever-evolving capabilities, they are also increasingly proficient at accurately transcribing spoken messages into text and they can likewise read text messages aloud upon request when users are unable to check them. Many modern virtual assistants can also perform tasks like turn on lights, televisions, and air conditioning, recognize family members’ voices for personalized responses to inquiries, perform helpful mathematical calculations, recommend drive departure times based on traffic conditions and remind users of upcoming events on their calendars.CTA:
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