When you picture the future, what does it look like? In any portrayal of the future in films or on TV, technology is usually a key focus . Technology is an unshakable part of contemporary culture, and at the rate technology is evolving, it’s no surprise we imagine the future as being shaped by it. As we celebrate Creativity & Innovation Day this week (21st April), we decided to take a look at what the future might hold for mobile phones.
To look forward, we decided to first take a look back. Remember the late 90s / early 2000s? Back then, the height of mobile sophistication was the flip phone. Popular though it was, it’s not a design that lasted. Now the majority of mobile handsets are bar (or cuboid) shaped. Design aesthetics are constantly changing, and it’s impossible to know for sure which ones will stick around.
Is the Future Folding?
A design feature that looks to be increasing in popularity is that of the foldable phone. Devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G offer a tablet sized viewing experience in a mobile sized device. At the moment, that technology is pretty rare, but if it increases in popularity it’s likely to become much more accessible.
One design feature that’s starting to be explored is flexible phones. Back in 2008, Nokia unveiled their design concept for the Nokia Morph. A phone that could be reshaped to suit the users needs, the Nokia Morph could be used as a flat screen, transformed into a belt clip, or even wrapped around your wrist. It turned out to be something of a pipe dream. Despite the manufacturers prediction that the phone’s features could appear in high-end devices by 2015, the technology for flexible devices like this one isn’t quite here yet. Maybe the future will hold the answer.
Holographic Displays? Less sci-fi, More sci-fact
Perhaps one of the most commonly seen futuristic technologies in popular culture is holographic displays. Rumours of phones with holographic functions and virtual displays date back as far as March 2014. At long last, that technology does look to be on the horizon. The Red Hydrogen One, released in 2018, was introduced as the world’s first holographic smartphone. The handset wasn’t a success, but with the rise of AR (augmented reality) and holographic technology making headlines every week, it might not be long until that capability is placed into the palm of our hands.
Whatever shape mobile phones take in the future, it’s going to be exciting to watch these advancements unfold. As technologies adapt and evolve year on year, the future of mobile phones is happening right in front of our eyes – and we can’t wait to see it happen.
But for right now, why not check out the latest phones on offer here?
