Do you ever wonder why a smartphone doesn’t seem as smart or intuitive as the name implies? Occasionally, you may find yourself making lists of standard features the device should be able to do by now, but you would rather talk to your dog than deal with Siri’s incorrect, unimaginative, and robotic sounding answers to your life questions. Major smartphone companies may already be working on the glitches you’ve discovered or the ideas you’ve been keeping track of. Here is a list of what the future may hold for smartphone features, making a more enjoyable experience for the user.
(1) A Different Way of Remembering Passwords – The Apple iPhone 5S is rumored to have a feature where a user can get into his or her phone with a swipe of a fingerprint. But what if sensors on smartphones could detect their owner through eye scanning or voice detection? Voice activation already exists in the Baidu-Lenovo A586, exclusively available in China, so look out for this futuristic addition to smartphone unlock coming to the United States!
(2) A Clearer Camera – As useful as it is to have a device in the palm of your hand that makes calls, checks e-mail, takes photos, and numerous other tasks, the low-quality grainy pictures and videos feel outdated. The future will hold clearer, crisper images taken by smartphones with the ability to instantly switch between video and photo. If one holds down the camera key they will begin filming. Later they are able to decide if they want a photo or video of the event. This allows the user to live in the moment and not fumble between video and photo taking.
(3) A Better Listener – Currently, smartphones have voice-command software installed, but in the future voice recognition will consist of a significantly larger command database. Look out for the ability to tag photos, look up flights, enter battery mode, make purchases, and create out-of-office messages all though a simple voice command.
(4) A Bendable Screen – Imagine a smartphone that can be conveniently rolled up like an ancient scroll and taken out for use. Samsung’s YOUM Flexible OLED technology, released in April 2012, shows that not only is this technology possible, but that it can be applied to handheld devices. The application of this technology has the potential to change the market for smartphones by making them smaller and more durable.
Samsung’s Bendable Screen may be the future of smartphones. Image courtesy of CNET
(5) An Eternal Battery Life – Apple is now developing a lithium-ion macrobattery using hydrogen cells, which is expected to be. 2,000 times stronger than the batteries used in today’s smartphones and strong enough to even jump start a dead car. Soon enough, we will say goodbye to battery-killing app worries and phone chargers.
(6) A More Detailed Directional – Ever wish you knew your way around an unknown shopping mall? New software will make this possible by being able to find where to go in-location. Forests will now become familiar, airports will become navigable, and intimidating new office spaces will suddenly seem friendlier.
(7) A Waterproof Take-Over – Some smartphone users are the proud owners of the LifeProof case, made to keep out water, but the case is somewhat bulky and water can still sneak in. Liquipel, Hz0, and P2i are a few of the leaders in the waterproofing industry; some phones are even being sold with a waterproof coat already. It looks like the smartphone will finally win against water damage.
(8) A Smartphone to Go With Your Outfit – SmartWatches have already hit the market, and Apple’s iWatch is expected to be available this year. Since smartphone companies have already figured out the technology behind integrating features into fashion with iWatch or Google Glass, it’s exciting to speculate future possibilities.
iWatch from Apple to be available in the future.
(9) An Augmented Reality – With a combination of what we see in real life and smartphone technology, the future holds the ability to get live information by being pointed at a specific object. Imagine being in a new city and pointing your smartphone at a café and instantly having reviews and information of that café and the surrounding ones.
(10) A Built-In Projector – Do you ever have something on your smartphone that you would like to share with the other people in the room? In the future, you may be able to take advantage of a projector screening images directly from your smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Beam was released in 2012. Expect to see more of this technology in coming years.
Engineers are constantly coming up with new ideas for smartphones to make our lives easier and more advanced. For further discussion, please visit Digi-Key’s TechXchange Discussion post on smartphone changes.
by Emily Bahr
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