Why Cell Phones Are Taking Over The Tech Universe

There’s been some argument since cell phone technology began advancing rapidly that the little devices are taking over human life. The use of cell phones has become so ubiquitous that some people spend more than half their day staring at the little devices. While it may not be true that these devices are taking over lives, it can be argued that they’re topping the tech universe. So many advancements have come out that these tiny computers seem to be on track to replace all computers.

Cell Phone Advancements from 1973-Present

If you were to tell Martin Cooper, the inventor of the first cell phone in 1973 that one day cell phones would be able to do anything from process payments to talk back when asked a question, he might not have believed it. Cell phones have made some pretty massive advancements in the last 43 years.

It began with a Motorola researcher and executive (Cooper), who made the very first cell phone. It weighed 2.5 pounds, measured 23 cm long, 13 cm deep, and 4.45 cm wide. The handheld portable device had enough battery life to talk for 30 minutes and took 10 hours to recharge. There were some significant drawbacks to the distance of this phone, however, since it could only communicate when in range of a few towers.

This phone was obviously not good enough for the Motorola labs, who pushed their researchers to develop a device that was small enough to be taken anywhere. From there, the first analog cellular network (1G) was developed in 1979. A decade later in the early 1990’s, the first digital cellular network (2G) was developed.

During this time, portable mobile devices began to shrink exponentially. They were still much larger and bulkier than today, but many were small enough to hook onto a belt or slip into a large cargo pocket. They were not easily accessible at this point, as only the well-off chose to purchase the expensive devices.

By the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the size of cell phones shrunk to pocket size. You might remember some of these phones from 15 years ago. Some had the flip feature, while others were just small square boxes that could make calls only.

The use of 2G devices began to spread farther, and researchers still hadn’t developed a phone that was entirely accessible. At this point, the 3G network was born, which became popular in phones in the mid 2000’s, and continued to develop for several years. 3G networks brought the world fewer dropped calls, farther-reaching cell-service, internet access, and texting.

Once 3G networks became commonplace, the rest is history. Advancements in the technology began to multiply at a pace faster than many people and companies could keep up with. 3G brought the world the smartphone, and the technology is still developing.

Touch screens were used during this stage with a stylus, particularly on the BlackBerry or Sidekick. Most of the time, these phones were used in business applications. In 2007, the wireless network industry took a drastic turn for the better when the first iPhone was developed. This was a touch screen phone that included games, internet access, and a number of other applications to be used for business purposes and personal use.

Between 2007 and now, more applications have been developed for the iPhone than any other device. It became possible to set alarms, play games, chat instantly with friends, shop, carry out business transactions, browse the internet, talk to your device, browse social networks, count calories, keep track of health and fitness, monitor health problems, and so much more.

Cell phones are quickly taking over as the most ubiquitous devices in the world. They’re getting bigger, as evidenced by the iPhone 6S Plus and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. These phones are approximately half the size of a normal tablet, and they can do all the same things as one, but with the added addition of call and text, which makes them far more convenient to use.

Businesses are turning to smart phones to improve their processing. They download apps to monitor sales and business transactions on the go and can even use the technology to process payments. Some small businesses operate from their cell phones alone, making it easy and affordable to start a business.

Today, cell phones present some of the most powerful technology known to man. It may be awhile before they replace the technology of computers, but they’ve already set a pretty impressive precedent for the future of technology.

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