Smartphones of the future: What to expect in coming years
What's the story
2018 has already seen some head-turners as far as smartphone innovation is concerned, with the likes of the OPPO Find X and Vivo Nex, and will see some more with major releases like the RED Hydrogen One, new iPhones etc. later in the year. With smartphone companies experimenting with all sorts of things, what smartphone technologies await us in the future? We explore.
Voice control
Voice control is coming your way, and it's coming fast
While voice controlled smartphones and smart devices are increasingly making their way into our lives, the technology is still pretty nascent. But, considering the explosive pace of progress in spheres of machine learning and AI, and increasing research going into the development of voice control, the smartphone of the future can be expected to seamlessly, maybe even exclusively, work through voice control.
AR & VR
Augmented reality and virtual reality are here to stay
There's a lot of experimentation going on with Augmented reality and Virtual Reality. We've already seen applications of such tech in apps like Pokemon GO and the LEGO Augmented Reality app. However, gaming apps understate the potential of such technology, and it remains to be seen how smartphones evolve with AR and VR. We're pretty sure that AR and VR are here to stay.
Foldable devices
Foldable smartphones are already around the corner
Foldable screens are also slated to be big thing in smartphone technology, but you probably already know that. Thanks to OLED technology, we're staring at future where we'll have sizeable devices with large screens that can be folded into a pocketable size. Going by concepts already in the works, we're already looking at book-like foldable smartphones. Who knows what other morphs lie in wait?
Holographic display
Holographic displays: The first major paradigm shift in display tech
If preliminary, hands-on reviews of RED's Hydrogen One smartphone are indicators to go by, then holographic displays could soon become a mainstream smartphone feature. While videos/photos of RED's technology aren't available yet, reviewers seemed awed by what RED has already achieved. Considering that this is the first major paradigm shift in smartphone display tech, it's unlikely that the bubble will burst any time soon.
Modular phones
Modular phones remain a big "IF" but hold huge potential
This one is a big "IF". While modular phones haven't really caught on, this makes into our list because a truly modular phone would offer functionalities beyond our current imagination. However, planned obsolescence remains an obstacle. Truly modular phones would require customers to repeatedly invest in modules, and thus the core phone would have to be durable enough to make the deal lucrative.