November 8, 2018 Future Predictions in Mobile Technology

The mobile technology is reshaping communication.

November 6, 2018

By Madalina Bagacean, Marketing and Communication Specialist at Netfors

The release of Pokemon Go made it easier for people to understand how AR/VR work. A constant rise of intelligent apps using these technologies are slowly changing the way we perceive mobile phones. We can hardly recognise a significant progress if we only take into consideration the small minor updates made by instagram or snapchat. But If we take a step back and look at a Nokia 3100 and its features, we can easily tell how much things have changed. From businesses to public institutions, everyone will have to adjust their marketing approach accordingly and create mobile apps for whatever purpose their users might want to use their phones. When it comes to the form factor and internal hardware, we are expecting improvements, but not major changes in the following 5 years. Here are some future predictions.

1. Foldable and flexible screens

Not long ago, a few tech giants have released the first flexible smartphones. Samsung launched their new Galaxy Round- supposedly the world´s first flexible OLED display. LG followed and released the LG G Flex, coated with a self healing material. They might not be foldable, but the technology behind a flexible screen is definitely bringing us closer to a future packed with moldable phones. A chinese company called Royole followed and recently showcased their new flexible, ultra thin screens at the IFA conference in Berlin. With multiple manufacturers ready to jump and test new technologies, a future packed with OLEO displays and slight curves is closer than we think.

2. Long lasting wireless batteries

Self charging phones are on their way. Apple made it possible for us to listen to music without relying on cables and messy inconvenient devices. Since wireless headphones already exist, it is only a matter of time until wireless batteries will become mainstream. The september 2018 Mobile World Congress Americas from Los Angeles showcased WI-FI charged devices. Engineers at University of Washington and Disney are also testing it. The movie giant showcased a prototype room with  wireless power delivery. By generating magnetic fields through quasistatic cavity resonance, researchers found that they could charge multiple smartphones that were within the room. With all this data available, its only a matter of time until long range wireless power smartphones will establish connection anywhere, at anytime.

The only question remaining is: will we still feel the need to buy the shinny latest release since one of the reasons for changing phones is battery degeneration, or will the future bring less consumerism and a tendency towards sustainability ?

3. Chatbots and AI systems

According to a report by Grand View Research, the chatbot market is expected to reach $1.23 billion by 2025, and an annual growth rate of 24.3%. Soon exchange of emails and any manually performed task will become history. Everyone will be using chatbots to handle conversations regarding information that can be easily obtained by using an AI infused system. Bots will simply replace any manual performance, therefore customer service costs will also be reduced.

4. Innovative authentication forms

Today we use pin codes and fingerprint sensors to unlock devices. But is the password dead ? What will we use to protect data privacy ? Unfortunately,  cyber criminals found ways to crack passwords, so the security granted by traditional ways is no longer valid. Wireless tokens and behavioural biometrics will grow in popularity. Standard biometrics are already being used, and rely on a part of the body, such as fingers, however technology that recognizes its user based on his voice, typing speed or keypad pressure is yet to be released. Not only we will benefit from reduced fraud risk, but also increased user experience.

5. 5G wireless networks

According to recent data, 5G is most likely to bring a better user experience and faster communication by 2020. As per TechCrunch, Apple plans to use Intel’s 8161 5G chip in its 2020 iphones. To be more specific, the new technology will make it possible for users to download full HD movies in less than 15 seconds, as well as using multiple services simultaneously. 5G will most likely also expand the possibilities when it comes to IoT applications that require maximum responsiveness and efficiency.

About the author
Madalina Bagacean is the marketing and communication specialist at Netfors, a danish high end quality vendor of SMS Center, SMSC, A2P platform, USSD Center, and STP/ITP and Signaling Gateway. Her interests lie within all elements of storytelling, content creating, and speaking about products and services in a memorable way.

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