Three elements that transformed the smartphone

Over the past 30 years, smartphones and their astonishing capabilities have changed the way we live, becoming an extension and expression of our personalities and individuality.

What were once large, bulky devices, today have evolved into stylish, sleek, foldable smartphones, weighing less than a roll of quarters, and have become an integral part of our daily lives. From streaming content, playing games, and finding directions, to managing health and fitness, ordering food, facetiming with loved ones, sharing beautiful memories through photos and videos and serving as a fashion accessory, a smartphone can do almost everything.

However, this revolutionised age of smartphone did not arrive overnight. Three core elements, namely, innovation, function, and authenticity, sparked the wave of change.

Innovation
From processing power and photography, to battery life and security, innovation has transformed smartphones in these focus areas. Let’s take the camera for example, earlier a smartphone just had a single, rear-facing camera with point and shoot capability. Over the years the smartphone camera came of age and the camera moved to the screen display, facing the user. As the social media hype started growing, the smartphone camera was equipped with high-definition video, night-mode, and stabiliser technology. Today, all these features have come together to make the camera one of the most valuable additions to a smartphone.

Function
in the past mobile phones had one single purpose: allowing people to make calls. Thanks to the advancement in technology, mobile phones have evolved to smartphones empowering people to do much more than just communicating with each other no matter where they are. Today we have artificial intelligence progressively being embedded into smartphones making human-machine interaction possible and seamless. From facial recognition, digital assistants, intelligent digital imaging and augmented reality features to apps that provide recommendations based on your preference behaviour, AI is driving the revolution further with its endless capabilities.

Authenticity
The goal throughout the evolution of smartphones was to meet the needs and expectations of people and become a symbol of expression. Besides making the clunky and bulky devices more portable and user-friendly, the smartphone revolution compelled brands to add more colour and personality to their offerings as a means of expression. So much so, that people started buying smartphones not just because it was a trendy piece of luxury, but because it suited their career choices, their hobbies, and their overall lifestyle.

Today, owning a smartphone is not a choice or a want, it is a need. Your mobile phone is one piece of device that is with you from the moment you wake up in the morning to the time you go back to bed. All in all, smartphones have given rise to platforms and communities that personalise each experience and expression and make you feel connected and part of a larger purpose.

We now stand at the threshold of the 5G revolution. Analysts predict that 5G technology will further widen the possibilities of a smartphone and the opportunities it will bring to the fore for the people; which will only lead to smartphones being integrated into our lives deeper and deeper.

Sharay Shams is the general manager, Motorola Middle East