The mobile phone has quickly become, in the space of just a couple of decades, one of the greatest technological developments in modern history. They started out with having the sole aim of allowing users to make and receive phone calls whilst on the move, but since SMS appeared in the late 1990s, this has become in some respects the least of their capabilities. Now they are complete entertainment and communications systems packed into seemingly ever-smaller pieces of kit.
Within twenty years there has been rapid development from the original analogue cellular phones to the latest third generation devices. From voice-to-voice through GPRS and WAP internet connectivity and later the high-speed internet connections that we are used to today, every stage has meant a great improvement for the industries responsible for advancing communications technology.
Both society and business have been completely transformed by the development of mobile phones in recent decades. The gamut covers international banking to breaking news and much more, with Japan being responsible for most of this drive.
Fourth generation mobile phone network systems are now in the process of being implemented, and these use a completely new approach to radio networking. Higher speed via broadband means that speeds a hundred times greater than those achieved by third generation networks are now possible. The signals are also concomitantly stronger and clearer, clearing the way for other advances as yet unheard of, so there should be more surprises in store down the line. For a taste of these, check out the HTC Radar review and others in the technology press.
Bluetooth and Symbian are just two of the subsidiary technologies that have been developed in tandem with the mobile phone, which have improved the user experience in terms of convenience and interactivity.
With more and more companies attempting to gain access to the market, the future looks bright and excitingly unpredictable.