In the last two decades, we’ve seen smartphones come along in leaps and bounds. Once upon a time, they were just for calling and texting – maybe playing snake too if you had the beloved Nokia 3310. These days, the sleek, powerful computers carried around in pockets and bags are capable of so much more – so here’s how those changes have upgraded our lives too.
Battery Innovations: Powering Longer Usage
While the early smartphones had fairly poor battery life, not used to the higher levels of screen time, newer battery technologies have made strides forward for longer life and faster charging.
Lithium-ion and silicon-carbon batteries have both pushed the capacity and energy density forwards compared to the batteries of old – without needing to add bulk to the phones themselves. This means people don’t have to charge them as frequently, and can get more use before they drop into the red battery percentage.
Many also now feature fast charging technology, meaning you can get an extra 20-25% battery life in a matter of minutes – a lifesaver if you need a quick boost to access something critical on your phone like train tickets or a maps app.
Advancements in Connectivity: The 5G Era
We’ve come a long way from simple 3G connectivity – heralded as a marvel for smartphones when it was first rolled out. Now, we’re up to 5G with our phones able to load webpages, stream content and download apps at rapid speeds.
With speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G and significantly reduced latency, 5G has enabled truly seamless streaming and real-time interactions. This enhanced connectivity has transformed everything from video calls to mobile gaming, such as online bingo 90, for a seamless and smooth experience that keeps you connected.
Revolution in Smartphone Photography
Perhaps no aspect of smartphones has evolved more dramatically than their cameras. What began as grainy, low-resolution afterthoughts, have now become 50-megapixel multi-lens systems that can sometimes even rival professional equipment.
Modern flagship phones boast computational photography that’s powered by machine learning, incredible optical zoom capabilities and superior low-light performance to name just a few. These all work in the background to help you take the best pictures possible – including for selfies, maybe the biggest change within smartphone photography out there.
User Interaction: Embracing AI and New Interfaces
Perhaps the most profound shift has been in how we interact with our devices. Our phones now learn from our behaviours, with voice assistants and AI integrations helping to make the everyday that bit easier. We can customise our smartphone features to suit our preferences, with upgraded accessibility features to make modern smartphones even more inclusive.
And smartphones won’t be stopping their improvement anytime soon. Engineers and technologists are constantly looking to make the cutting-edge phones of today look obsolete tomorrow with rapid advancements. So keep your eye on how things evolve in the next few years, and maybe the phones we have now will look as humble as the Nokia 3310 does.
