What are the next game changing smart phone technologies?

ScotiaBurrell · 09-25-2012, 11:40 AM

High resolution displays, voice control, artificial intelligence, long life batteries, NFC and wireless charging are here now, but not yet evenly distributed among smart phone models.

Soon they will be equally everywhere and will operate better than they do now.

What are the technologies beyond those that you are waiting for and that will be must have-its in cell phones?

Maybe this?

Quote:

Speech recognition software company Nuance is working with chip makers on how to build a chipset for a mobile device that would let users get assistance from a smartphone without touching it—even when it's in power-saving "sleep" mode—by simply speaking to it.

Anabran · 09-25-2012, 12:11 PM

HAL: "Dave I am aware that you and frank were planning to disconnect me, Although you took precautions to avoid my hearing you in the pod I could see your lips move"

tubemonkey · 09-25-2012, 12:15 PM

Non-breakable displays.

ScotiaBurrell · 09-25-2012, 12:39 PM

Will that make people turn out to buy new models?

tubemonkey · 09-25-2012, 12:43 PM

It will when applied to both wi-fi and 3G/4G devices:

schools
libraries
outdoors-types
athletes
me

din155 · 09-25-2012, 01:09 PM

Foldable screens. Get a 7-10 inch tablet and fold it to 4 inch phone

Penforhire · 09-25-2012, 01:45 PM

The problem with voice control and activation is our generally noisy environment. I already dislike any cubical-neighbors who insist on using speaker phones whenever they answer their phone. I frequently get an urge to join their conversation and say inappropriate things. If more people start talking to their phones I may go postal.

To me, the next big thing has to be a major display improvement, either foldable/rollable or heads-up (e.g. Google glasses). I think heads-up has more long term bang.

There are many small things that improve incrementally such as battery capacity, memory capacity, processing speed (and speed per unit energy). I think the 'next thing' to evolve from this incremental improvement is having your cell phone be your primary PC via a docking station. It has been tried before but our overall usable mobile power is still not quite up to snuff. Maybe in 3 to 5 years.

There is a competing movement toward cloud computing. That relieves the hardware from having to be powerful but it requires a connection. We're too far behind the curve on nation-wide fast wireless access for the cloud to take over. In 3 to 5 years, maybe.

But I'm not seeing the signs of ubiquitous cheap wifi or cellular 4G while I am seeing the constant hardware improvements mentioned above. Our government COULD probably institute nationwide wifi in one year, if it was a priority, but the major cellular providers (AT&T, Verion, Sprint) would cry foul.

Namekuseijin · 09-25-2012, 02:25 PM

yes, proper voice synthesis (or good enough sampling) and, more importantly, recognition, shall change the way we deal with computers in a most fundamental way.

Why virtual lame keyboards smearing the whole glossy screens with your greasing fingers when you can just talk? Why also try to read under bright sunlight when the smatphone can just read the messages for you?

The written word is doomed. It's but an accident from the past.

Namekuseijin · 09-25-2012, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

The problem with voice control and activation is our generally noisy environment. I already dislike any cubical-neighbors who insist on using speaker phones whenever they answer their phone.

it's the same solution as is used for big phones: earphones with mikes.

Namekuseijin · 09-25-2012, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anabran

HAL: "Dave I am aware that you and frank were planning to disconnect me, Although you took precautions to avoid my hearing you in the pod I could see your lips move"

just be sure not to give them a conscience, just functional barely-intelligent voice recognition.

murraypaul · 09-25-2012, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

The problem with voice control and activation is our generally noisy environment. I already dislike any cubical-neighbors who insist on using speaker phones whenever they answer their phone. I frequently get an urge to join their conversation and say inappropriate things. If more people start talking to their phones I may go postal.

Nah, just stand up and shout "end call" and "shutdown" as loud as you can

David Munch · 09-25-2012, 03:07 PM

For phones, NFC and better batteries. And I'm even not perfectly sure about NFC. Well, and cameras of course.

LovesMacs · 09-25-2012, 05:49 PM

This is more of an infrastructure thing than just something built into a phone, but better integration with stores, etc. so that you can walk up to a vending machine or other point of sale and make a purchase with your phone rather than your wallet. Whatever you buy is charged to your mobile phone account. It's not a new thing and has existed in a few countries for many years.

StoryEnthusiast · 09-25-2012, 09:23 PM

I think voice interface will be greatly improved so that we'll be interacting with our phone through voice. A digital assistant to help me organize and find things will be nice.

dura · 09-26-2012, 05:08 AM

NFC could become very interesting; you can use your smartphone to identify yourself and make payments in shops, public transportation etc. The step forwards is the apps on the phone; you can see your history, what you paid when to who and why. Compare that to that stupid plastic card with chips on it that hold all kinds of information without you being able to view it.

09-25-2012, 12:43 PM	#5
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,858 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	It will when applied to both wi-fi and 3G/4G devices: schools libraries outdoors-types athletes me

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09-25-2012, 12:11 PM	#2
Anabran GUNDAM PILOT Posts: 227 Karma: 1110244 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: NEW York, NEW York Device: Kindle Fire	HAL: "Dave I am aware that you and frank were planning to disconnect me, Although you took precautions to avoid my hearing you in the pod I could see your lips move"

09-25-2012, 12:15 PM	#3
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,858 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Non-breakable displays.

09-25-2012, 12:39 PM	#4
ScotiaBurrell Banned Posts: 1,118 Karma: 3111746 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle & little green monster	Will that make people turn out to buy new models?

09-25-2012, 01:09 PM	#6
din155 Guru Posts: 880 Karma: 7556602 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle PW, Win 10 thinkpad 8in	Foldable screens. Get a 7-10 inch tablet and fold it to 4 inch phone

09-25-2012, 01:45 PM	#7
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	The problem with voice control and activation is our generally noisy environment. I already dislike any cubical-neighbors who insist on using speaker phones whenever they answer their phone. I frequently get an urge to join their conversation and say inappropriate things. If more people start talking to their phones I may go postal. To me, the next big thing has to be a major display improvement, either foldable/rollable or heads-up (e.g. Google glasses). I think heads-up has more long term bang. There are many small things that improve incrementally such as battery capacity, memory capacity, processing speed (and speed per unit energy). I think the 'next thing' to evolve from this incremental improvement is having your cell phone be your primary PC via a docking station. It has been tried before but our overall usable mobile power is still not quite up to snuff. Maybe in 3 to 5 years. There is a competing movement toward cloud computing. That relieves the hardware from having to be powerful but it requires a connection. We're too far behind the curve on nation-wide fast wireless access for the cloud to take over. In 3 to 5 years, maybe. But I'm not seeing the signs of ubiquitous cheap wifi or cellular 4G while I am seeing the constant hardware improvements mentioned above. Our government COULD probably institute nationwide wifi in one year, if it was a priority, but the major cellular providers (AT&T, Verion, Sprint) would cry foul.

09-25-2012, 02:25 PM	#8
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	yes, proper voice synthesis (or good enough sampling) and, more importantly, recognition, shall change the way we deal with computers in a most fundamental way. Why virtual lame keyboards smearing the whole glossy screens with your greasing fingers when you can just talk? Why also try to read under bright sunlight when the smatphone can just read the messages for you? The written word is doomed. It's but an accident from the past.

09-25-2012, 03:07 PM	#12
David Munch Scholar Posts: 1,012 Karma: 3999312 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kobo Libra H2O + iPad Air 4	For phones, NFC and better batteries. And I'm even not perfectly sure about NFC. Well, and cameras of course.

09-25-2012, 05:49 PM	#13
LovesMacs Fanatic Posts: 513 Karma: 2644386 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: iPhone, Kindle Touch	This is more of an infrastructure thing than just something built into a phone, but better integration with stores, etc. so that you can walk up to a vending machine or other point of sale and make a purchase with your phone rather than your wallet. Whatever you buy is charged to your mobile phone account. It's not a new thing and has existed in a few countries for many years.

09-25-2012, 09:23 PM	#14
StoryEnthusiast K. C. Lee Posts: 584 Karma: 3652522 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: New Zealand Device: Android phone	I think voice interface will be greatly improved so that we'll be interacting with our phone through voice. A digital assistant to help me organize and find things will be nice.

09-26-2012, 05:08 AM	#15
dura Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 1062434 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Netherlands Device: Kobo H2O (2th edition), Kindle PW11	NFC could become very interesting; you can use your smartphone to identify yourself and make payments in shops, public transportation etc. The step forwards is the apps on the phone; you can see your history, what you paid when to who and why. Compare that to that stupid plastic card with chips on it that hold all kinds of information without you being able to view it.