The Future of Mobile Phones

Mobile phones have actually been around a lot longer than you might expect. The first ever mobile phone is believed to have been the Mobira Senator, a Nokia phone weighing 10 kilograms that was released in 1982. The Mobira Senator operated via 1G technology — a far cry from the 5G phones available today.

Competitors moved quickly to improve the portability of mobile devices. Just one year later, Motorola released the Dynatac 8000X, which weighed only 1 kilogram. 

Another notable moment in mobile phone history came in 1992, when British software developer Neil Papworth sent the first ever text message, which read ‘Merry Christmas’.

By 1994, the IBM Simon heralded the arrival of the first ever smartphone. This device had a touchscreen, alongside several applications that we commonly associate with smartphones today, including a calendar, address book, and calculator.

While Nokia and Motorola dominated the market for the next decade and a half, the 2007 arrival of the very first iPhone essentially spelt the demise of these two telecommunications providers. Samsung quickly joined Apple with the 2010 release of their incredibly popular Galaxy line of smartphones. Combined, Samsung and Apple account for close to 40 percent of all smartphone sales in 2021.

We’re now well into the new decade and mobile phone providers have already introduced a range of features that have revolutionised the way smartphones operate.

● Foldable devices: These do already exist, albeit at a very expensive price point. Foldable phones are generally understood to be more convenient, with a bigger display that offers increased multitasking capabilities. In the future, foldable devices are expected to be hardier, cheaper, and far more readily available.

● Eco-friendly phones: The unfortunate reality is that our tips and hard-rubbish dumps are filled to the brim with disused mobile phones. Given the ever-increasing importance of sustainability, smartphone providers are likely to invest their time and energy into producing eco-friendly devices that are both long-lasting and biodegradable.

● No ports: This one has been in the works for a while now, with the major smartphone providers gradually decreasing the number of ports on their products with each new iteration. Given the increasing popularity of wireless charging, it should only be a few years before phones are completely port free.

It is not only phone features that are set to shake up the smartphone industry. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of opting to rent mobile phones rather than purchasing. 

iPhone and Samsung phone rentals are a great way of getting your hands on the latest devices without the stress of having to put together a large upfront payment. Most providers offer flexible rental contract options, meaning you will always have access to the most up to date technology.

The future of mobile phones is not only foldable, biodegradable devices. It’s also providing consumers with Samsung and iPhone rental options that are convenient and affordable.