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Every single time a new smartphone comes out with a never-before-seen feature, we all ask ourselves if this is the best thing a smartphone can do. However, with each new release, manufacturers prove again and again that they can push the limits of what a smartphone can do.
However, the answer to the question “have we reached the peak of smartphone innovation?” is no. Here are some of the innovations we can expect to see in smartphones in the future.
Stretchable displays
With folding phones making a comeback, many believe this is the way to get more screen space while keeping a device relatively small. However, many experts believe that we can take this a step further and have stretchable displays instead.
While the “how” is still being figured out, it seems like it could be possible to take a phone the size of an iPhone, for example, and give it a screen that can be stretched to the size of an iPad. Considering stretchable technology is in the same realm as foldable technology, this looks like a very real feature that we could see.
Over-the-air charging
Since the dawn of mobile and smartphones, the one thing that hasn’t changed much is how we charge them. While wireless charging is possible, it still requires a charging station for your phone to sit on.
Over-the-air charging will use radio waves to charge your device whenever you need to, meaning you will never need to worry about finding a charger or charging station again.
Holographic displays
While holographic displays have existed in science fiction for decades, they are quickly becoming a reality. One of the next big steps in smartphone technology is the ability to see 3D images displayed from your phone without the need to use 3D glasses.
Once again, it is hard to say how this will be achieved as both the display and the camera of a phone will need to be greatly improved, but it is certainly not impossible.
More power
This is a fairly standard upgrade that we see in smartphones nowadays, and their power is only going to get greater. Considering a basic smartphone is now more powerful than most PC’s from a few years ago, there really is no limit to how powerful they can get.
The real challenge is being able to condense that power into parts that can fit into a phone or, at the very least, make a device that is still small enough to be considered a smartphone.
Better cameras
Another standard upgrade that is only going to get better is smartphone cameras. While some phones are fitted with some of the best cameras on the planet, as quality technology gets better, cameras will too.
It was only a couple of years ago when 4K seemed difficult, and now with 8K increasing in popularity, it is most likely the next benchmark for smartphone cameras.
Modular phones
The modular smartphone craze was very hot a few years back, but it struggled to gain any traction and was eventually scrapped. However, it hasn’t been forgotten and is right near the top of the list of new innovations for many manufacturers.
Instead of buying a completed smartphone, it would be more like building a PC. You will be able to purchase the individual parts that you want and create a smartphone that is designed for your needs. This could extend to software, too, allowing you to fill your phone with the apps and functions you need instead of wasting memory and power on the ones you never use.
Nokia has recently launched a phone called the G22, and while it isn’t completely modular, it allows users to replace certain parts at home simply by ordering them online. This small step is believed, by many, to be the first step on the road to entirely modular devices.
Smart glasses
While the concept of smart glasses and their use of augmented reality is nothing new, being able to combine them with your phone is a new innovation that many are striving for. The ability to use your phone with voice commands and see everything you need to see without taking your phone out of your pocket is an incredibly exciting prospect.
You would be able to dictate texts, emails and searches, take photos of what you are looking at, and use augmented reality to create a screen and keyboard in front of you. This combination of smart glasses and your smartphone could turn your device into a very powerful and portable computer.
Will smartphones still exist?
Another innovation that is possible is completely changing and even eliminating the concept of a smartphone. While it is hard to predict what will or could replace smartphones, it is important to remember that there was a time when many people thought you couldn’t improve on the mobile phone.
This means that there is a very real possibility that the future of smartphones is no smartphones at all, and instead, we will use something completely new and different.
