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The year 2009 marked the beginning of an era for Smartphone market. Apple’s iPhone continued its huge success and Google’s Android revolutionized the smart phone industry and put the old players like RIM’s Blackberry and Nokia under extreme pressure. In past, Smartphone Industry was dominated by phones like from Palm, Blackberry and Nokia. Their target market was professionals with enterprise solution.
But Apple stepped into it by making Smartphone a device for everyone. Their step into Smartphone Industry was similar to that of their revolution in PC. “Device for all” was the key motto and driver of the innovation. Apple’s bold step into bringing Smartphone as a useful device for everyone and not just for corporate, proved a fruitful step.
Hence in the year 2009, Smartphone got more attention than any other devices because it became the device for laymen. This also meant more innovations and growth in the Industry. In 2009, trends like Smartphone applications, App Store, Social Media Apps were the key points of interest. Similarly Google’s Android has given the mobile makers a lot of flexibility to play with the apps.
Currently, iPhone is still leading the industry with their trademark form factor – large dominant touch screen. The question that needs to be answered is what is going to dominate the year 2010? Below are the eight key issues or points which will be the key factor in the Smartphone Industry.
1. Power Consumption
Efficient power consumption is the heart of any mobile devices. Today battery technology has come far enough to provide lasting power for high-end devices like Digital Camera. Mobile Phones are still in their initial stage where its power consumption cannot be approximated due to the rapid change in the technology.
Today, the overheating problem and power back-up of laptop still binds its mobility feature. Continuous power back-up is always essential for laptops. Similarly, today’s new age Smartphone are quite power hungry. Apple’s iPhone can give power approximately for 8 hrs but as the features and capabilities of Smartphone increase, efficient power plan is necessary.
Features like large screen, GPS monitoring, HD Video, TV connect, 3D games, Music and powerful multitasking will consume a lot of power. Today these kinds of high-end devices are already in production and with this the issue of power will be the key points in the year 2010.
2. Multi-tasking
Multi-tasking feature is totally dependent on the mobile’s operation system. OS like Android is already boasting about its multi-tasking feature. Further Intel’s arrival in the Smartphone’s chip technology (MooreStone) with its partner LG is already exhibiting the extreme capability to multi-task where you can switch between watching a video, talking to friends and using other applications.
Multi-tasking will require break-through in mobile operating system and processor inside it. In both areas, Smartphone have come a long way through research and development. Hence, the year 2010 will see more focus on the multi-tasking ability of Smartphones. This will bring it very close to having functionality like that of laptops.
3. GPS and Augmented Reality
Smartphone was the first mobile device to exploit the presence of Global Positioning System. Today’s Smartphone has great applications to locate yourself and your friends in the neighborhood.
GPS technology combined with mobile camera can do wonders in bringing augmented reality experience. There are many applications which can interact with the video being streamed through mobile camera to the database present in the Internet about the location of the mobile phone.
In the recent CES event, an application running on the iPhone demonstrated its ability to control a helicopter (Parrot AR.Drone) with a camera mounted on it. This capability opens door for interactive games. There are applications being built which can show information about the objects being streamed via the mobile camera, it’s just another example of augmented reality. Further, one of the most powerful applications comes from Google’s Android where the phone can act like a street guide showing you the exact direction towards your destination.
The year 2010 will certainly see a great integration between GPS system and online data repository bringing even more value to people.
4. Touch Screen Technology
Before the emergence of Smartphone, Touch Screen was a thing of fantasy and extreme luxury. Old models of Smartphone were featured with a stylus by its side to use its highly delicate touch screen. Now touch-screen has become the fundamental identity of a Smartphone. This is further enhanced by the multi-touch functionality which can track gestures of multiple touches.
Recent findings of Apple’s patent demonstrated a new technology in material science which could merge screen and touch pad together. Though this might sound simple, it has the capability of changing the form factor of Smartphone. Currently, a touch pad is layered on top of the screen panel. Therefore the thickness of the phone is controlled by the thickness of these two sections. But once these become a part of each other, the size is reduced making phones compact.
There are a lot of speculations regarding Touch Screen Technology due to the emerging interest in Tablet which is the laptop size screen with multi-touch facility. The technology is also going to change the way we might design an interface for the Smartphone.
5. Mobile Ads
If you ask, what is the next business model to rule the internet space? Then the answer for sure is Mobile Advertisements. People are spending a lot of time in social networking sites through their mobile devices. The growth of Smartphone Industry and social networking sites go parallel because these two platforms work hand in hand.
In mid 2009, Apple and Google competed with each other to acquire AdMob (Mobile Advertisement Organistaion) but Google won the race. Google already had a testing platform to integrate AdMob, their Android Operating System. By the end of 2009 Apple also acquired a mobile advertising platform called Quattro.
These two acquisitions mean that Smartphone is going to see an innovation in mobile advertisement. Google is already pushing the internet to its limit by trying to make every area a Wi-Fi zone. As the connectivity increases, Mobile Advertisement would be really huge.
6. Mobile Operating Systems
In past, Mobile phones and operating systems were considered one entity. No one considered Mobile operating system being an independent entity or a product. Most of the basic phones had Symbian OS, the Smartphone makers either had to develop their own basic OS or partner with other providers like Microsoft. But the year 2009 witnessed a great interest in mobile OS.
The change occurred due to the arrival of Google’s Open Source Operating Platform Android. Android has every characteristic of being a great operating system. It’s immense strength comes from its Cloud Computing and its integration to the Google Map. Currently, Android is being widely adopted by other mobile vendors leaving out previous software providers like Microsoft.
Microsoft already has Windows Mobile 7 scheduled to launch by the end of year 2010. This will decide if Microsoft will be able to get their lost market share. In today’s competitive market, Operating system has to be compatible with every hand held devices. Android is being implemented in every short of mobile devices from phones to tablet. Hence, the year 2010 will be a critical point for the market to decide the ruling Mobile Operating System.
7. Mobile Banking
On November 2010, Scotiabank announced a new partnership with M-Com, an international mobile banking and payments solution provider, which will bring mobile banking to Scotiabank customers in the spring of 2010.
This clearly shows the acceptance of Smartphone as a strong business transaction device and, not only as a communicator. The Senior Vice-President of Scotibank told that with more than 22 million cell phone subscribers in Canada, wireless phones are among the fastest growing consumer products in history. He also added that Canadians rely on the convenience of mobile devices to help them manage their busy lifestyles, and having the ability to do their banking from their mobile devices will simplify their lives that much more.
As businesses and banks realize the potential of Smartphone and upgrade their business to fit into the eco-system, we will see more and more banks creating a mobile platform for transaction. Though Scotiabank did not mention the Mobile platform, it is certain that in 2010 we will see applications for Blackberry and also iPhones to carry out your banking transaction. Mobile banking will be key to future business transaction.
8. VOIP services , Apps
VOIP service utilizes the Internet as the carrier for phone calls by-passing the existing mobile network. Though VOIP has been around us for more than 10 years, creating a VOIP service for phone is not as simple as it is for PC. But as the mobile platform is changing, its more easier to develop a mobile application now than before.
The popularity of Google Voice created a lot of buzz over the existence of net phones. But many mobile carriers aren’t very happy with it. The rejection of Google Voice Apps from the Apple store is one such example but we may see the change in 2010. Skype which is the most popular VOIP service is already being accepted in the Windows Mobile platform.
The inclusion of VOIP service in Smartphone will also leverage other services like video phone which is already presented in many IM chats in PC. Google has already launched its Google Phone and there is no way that it will be rejecting their own Google Voice App. Currently, many mobile venders and mobile carriers are planning to promote Google’s Android. This means people will get to enjoy the power and flexibility of VOIP services more efficiently in Smartphone. Net Phone or VOIP over Smartphone is a way towards new communication platform.
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