What will the smartphones of the future be like? See examples
Table of Contents
Manufacturers are betting on new features that help rethink what smartphones of the future will be like. Motorola, Samsung and even the Google are coming up with bold proposals: in the long term, perhaps one of them will come up with a cell phone that charges over the air, or that uses Augmented Reality (RA), or with nanotechnology to improve the performance of your products.
In any case, in the coming decades it is still possible that technologies that we have not even imagined will emerge. In this article, we will look at the most innovative models launched this year and also some of the main trends that could reach you in the near future:
Motorola Rollable
If you don't appreciate the foldable smartphones of the future, perhaps you might like rollable cell phones. A Motorola is one of the brands that is advancing in this cell phone market, offering the Motorola Rollable, which expands. It increases vertically, and is still a model in the testing phase, without definitions regarding the items and technical aspects.
In the image above, we can see how versatile the cell phone is: it can show the person using the rear camera, as if it were the front camera. If desired, the person can also show the screen to the person who is going to be photographed and, thus, it is possible to adapt to take a better photo.
Other functions, such as reading articles on the internet or watching videos, begin to adapt to the roll-up format of the futuristic smartphone. Faster situations, such as replying to messages, become simpler, thanks to the compact format that the Motorola cell phone achieves.
A Motorola Brazil participated in an event at the beginning of September, where he talked about the details involving experiments with the futuristic smartphone, Motorola Rollable. O showmetech came to hear Thiago Masuchette, the company's head of products: he described the operation of the cell phone, in the testing phase, which operates with mechanisms that are more delicate with the screen, compared to foldable cell phones.
“These sessions [experiments] helped us generate our concepts. Motorola’s team of industrial designers created a unique concept in which a screen unfolds from the case to become a larger device.”
executives of 312, research division of Motorola.
In addition to Motorola, other brands intend to adopt rollable models in the future. One of the manufacturers that intend to develop cell phones of this type is Samsung, with production forecast from 2025. In 2021, there was an expectation that the LG would also produce rollable cell phones (images below), there is even a model of the smartphone's winding architecture. However, that year, the company announced that it would stop producing smartphones of any type.
Motorola Razr 40Ultra
One of the companies at the forefront of developing smartphones of the future and foldable cell phones, Motorola launched the Razr 40 Ultra in July this year. The device's external screen is “entire”, that is, it can reproduce more content than other models of foldables. This way, you can play games and even take photos with the device closed.
The review that showmetech made the Razr 40 Ultra shows that, in addition to a well-crafted design, the cell phone has several items, including an adapter TurboPower 33W, USB-C cable and case. In technical aspects, we cannot leave aside the processor Snapdragon 8+ Gen1, which can come with memory from 8 GB to 12 GB, and the battery can be charged wirelessly, with a power of 5W.
The cameras, however, are not that good on Motorola's foldable cell phone. The specifications do not allow the captures to come out with good enough clarity to generate quality photos, although the device has the Pro Mode, which lets you control focus, ISO, temperature, among other aspects.
O Magazine Luiza offers the device for R$7.199,10
Google Pixel Fold
The foldable Google, Pixel Fold, adopts the format of a book, expanding to be used in full as if it were a tablet. Launched in May, the device has cameras more suitable for photos of different types (with modes Real tone, Night Sight e Headshot), also pleasing for its technical aspects. A highlight in this regard is the processor G2 tensioner, which is combined with the Android 14.
One of its most surprising configurations is the simultaneous use of two applications on the same cell phone, on both internal screens (like in the gif). If you want to use one of the internal screens to view two applications at the same time, just access the toolbar and choose what you want to use on each one.
You can order the product if you live in the United States, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. For now, there are still no dates for the smartphone to be available in other countries. Regarding the price of the device, the journalist from Front Page Tech, Jon prosser, indicated that the Pixel Fold it would cost US$1.919 (around R$9,5, not including fees).
Galaxy z fold5
Also competing with Google and Motorola to produce smartphones of the future, Samsung has two folding options: one of them is the Galaxy z fold5, which comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy from Qualcomm and operating system Android 13.
O Galaxy z fold5 It comes with a powerful camera, allowing you to take photos in different lighting and in different locations, without losing quality. To play captured media and other files, the cell phone has a 7,6-inch screen, with support for videos in HDR10 +. Due to its large screen, it is possible to use it like a tablet: up to eight fixed applications appear on the screen, also showing the four most recently used by the user.
The connectivity aspect already brings more advantages, with the possibility of connecting via 5G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3. Still, another advantage that could be added to the Fold5 is a pen, the S Pen Fold Edition. It expands the possibilities of using Samsung cell phones, this time coming on the back of the cell phone.
The official Samsung store has a discount on the sale of the Galaxy z fold5: R$ 11.999 (512 GB).
Galaxy z flip5
Samsung's recent launch, Galaxy z flip5, it also has a hinge that closes completely. Regarding technical aspects, we see that cell phones have several similarities, including the presence of the same processor and the cell phone's solar system with a wider screen.
The Flip5's camera tends to be more useful for simpler occasions, ideal for selfies in a group, for example. In addition, its screens have received improvements in relation to previous launches, trying to get closer to a likely cell phone of the future: its external screen is 3,4 inches, while its internal screen is 6,7 inches.
As for the Flip5, the brand is preparing a cover, called FlipSuit, which connects to the cell phone's settings, leaving the screen in the accessory's color. Regarding connectivity, the cell phone also has the same characteristics as the device with a screen that opens like a book, and supports payments with an NFC sensor.
The Galaxy Flip5 is now on sale at the official Samsung store, with a discount: R $ 6.999 (256 GB).
Future smartphone technologies
Having a cell phone charging at record speed or using RA to show photos and videos could be a reality, who knows, when this material is already very old. Until then, smartphones of the future promise to be even more intelligent, faster and integrated with other devices. Let's see some examples of these cell phone technologies of the future:
Modular cell phones
The arrival of modular cell phones may eliminate the need to change smartphones, which we do when a model stops working properly. Thanks to the exchange of parts or “modules”, the modular cell phone can have a new screen, camera and even battery in a more practical way, eliminating the need to exchange an entire cell phone for another.
Moving towards this innovation, Google had started Ara project (Project Ara), but, in 2016, he decided to back away from the idea. In the beginning, the company's initiative, carried out in partnership with Motorola, managed to attract a lot of attention for the bold proposal of having a customizable cell phone, but soon the weight of production costs began to be a problem. There were two cell phone models launched: the spiral 1 (2013) and the spiral 2 (2016), which had the advantage of a larger screen.
On the other hand, at the beginning of this year the Nokia, at Mobile World Congress (Mobile World Congress, in free translation), even presented a futuristic smartphone that tends to be more repairable: the Nokia G22. That is, according to the company, the future launch would be more adaptable to having new parts, with a new guide to support innovation — the company guarantees that the instructions would be easy enough for the person to be able to change the parts of the Nokia G22, without need to seek technical assistance.
Before the Nokia G22 hits the shelves, the Nokia G42 5G is already available and already has this advantage of adaptation and repair. The highlight of the new cell phone is the camera, which has Artificial Intelligence (IA) to provide better adaptation to different lighting, in addition to features such as Flash Shot, which helps with motion capture. Furthermore, the Nokia G42 has a more adaptable screen, resistant to different falling angles, limiting the need to change the part.
Augmented Reality
Owning a futuristic smartphone with augmented reality (AR) will be one of the most advanced features on cell phones that have a 6G connection. The possibility of having this type of signal will allow future users to participate in meetings with holograms and use AI tools more efficiently. In addition to connectivity, special glasses will start using AR to show directions and media that are on smartphones.
Some technology experts predict that, perhaps, these glasses will take the place of cell phones. In this sense, the Apple already seeks to offer an option: this is the VisionPro, a proposal that aims at spatial computing. As glasses can only be controlled with the movement of the eyes, hands and voice, Apple's launch creates an AR screen, which can be used without the use of any other connected device, such as a mouse or keyboard. Check out the promotional video:
Transparent smartphones
The screens OLED They are one of the resources that has the greatest chance of innovating in relation to the emergence of cell phones of the future. With their support, transparent smartphones will achieve the same effect we see on TVs. LG, shown in Consumer Electronics Show (CES) of 2023, which also have the effect of transparency.
If you are curious to know about the availability of these cell phones, it is ideal to wait: being ahead in the search for the development of these futuristic devices, the Samsung, despite having already obtained a patent to develop a transparent cell phone in January 2020, it was not successful in having a 100% transparent project.
The big problem is still making all the components practically invisible, such as the battery and memory card, for example. Even so, there is an interest in developing transparent smartphones, which has to do with some simple features, capable of improving the user experience at some level. Some defenders of the futuristic model say that, when taking photos with a cell phone of this type, it would be easier to use other applications.
Without achieving full transparency, the company Nothing, from London, launched a cell phone in 2022 that reveals some of its internal components. The first prototype, called Telephone (1), features a ring on its back, which lights up with notifications received on the device. Regarding the technical aspects, Nothing announced that the device would have a processor Qualcomm Snapdragon and with its own operating system. To update the model, the London company launched in July the Telephone (2).
End of chargers
A Xiaomi could be one of the companies that manages to end dependence on chargers. In 2021, the Asian brand launched the My Air Charge Technology: with it, the cell phone can be charged with 5W power from a reasonable distance, as long as the device is turned on in the same place where you are with the smartphone. In addition to this advantage, the product allows the connection of other cell phones, which can be charged at the same time.
Samsung has also created solutions for its customers to stop using chargers, but without creating solutions with over-the-air charging. Thus, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is one of the devices that already has a technology that does not require cables for charging, through the wireless powershare (Wireless charging). Furthermore, cell phones Galaxy S10, Galaxy Z Flip/Fold, Galaxy Note10 include this feature.
What else does the future hold for cell phones?
Modules, charging by air, RA and transparent cell phones are just some of the most impressive forms of innovation among a number of others being experimented with by many smaller laboratories and companies around the world. Other strategies for updating the smartphones we have today involve 6G signal, nanotechnology and even more integration with domestic devices.
Investments made in AI and Internet of Things (IoT; internet of things, in free translation) allow our cell phones to continue to increasingly help us with everyday tasks, becoming almost an essential part of our lives. But there will be other products that can take the place of smartphones, such as the VisionPro and watches smart.
The glasses of Apple , in fact, can be seen as a means to face the Meta, Mrs Instagram e WhatsApp. The Mark Zuckerberg With its AR laboratory, it intends to integrate its virtual reality tools into several areas: medicine, sports, aviation, among other areas that involve experimentation.
Reproducing information on screens can take on even more formats, if the competitiveness of these other solutions becomes stronger in the future. Flexible screens and the use of components with greater versatility, which are even more environmentally friendly, tend to be included in this long-term scenario. Commercial viability and the needs we will have in the next twenty or thirty years, however, are the main factors that will really dictate what will be in the mobile devices we will see in the future.
See the video
So, which of these options shown here did you like the most? Tell us, here at showmetech!
See also:
Source: Wired | techadvisor | Google (The Keyword) | Hindustan Times | Nokia | Slash Gear | Apple | Android Authority | Samsung | MakeUseOf | ZDNet | Analysis (Facebook)
Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim (13 / 09 / 23)
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