Smartphones have become a necessity that has changed the lives of modern people beyond being a simple communication device. Let’s take a look at the evolution of smartphones and their impact.
If you were to name one of the components that define modern people living in the 21st century, you would probably say smartphones. Nowadays, it is rare to find someone who does not use a smartphone. For example, most people have their smartphone in their hand when they are on the subway, on the bus, or even walking down the street. That is how much smartphones have become an essential item for modern people. The reason why smartphones have captured the tastes of modern people is probably because of the various services that smartphones provide. The simple functions of a phone, such as using messages, making calls, and setting alarms, as well as the ability to browse the Internet, send and receive emails, install various applications, and even create and share applications that users can create themselves, are what make smartphones so attractive. Thus, the main characteristics of smartphones are that they are small and easy to carry, and that they can be used not only as a phone but also with functions similar to those of a PC.
In short, a smartphone is a phone that can perform the functions of a PC, or a PC that can perform the functions of a phone. So how is a smartphone different from a regular phone (feature phone) and a PC?
First, the difference between a smartphone and a feature phone is the user’s level of freedom. Smartphone users can use their phones to suit their tastes better than feature phone users. Existing feature phone users had no choice but to use their phones according to the usage menus set by the carrier, and the application stores were also carrier dependent. Although Apple could be downloaded or used, it was expensive to use, and the inability to create or share Apple freely limited users’ use of the service. On the other hand, smartphone users can use data at very fast communication speeds and relatively low cost, and can freely create, share and install Apple. In addition, Apple’s smartphone is much more versatile than Apple’s feature phone. If the previous feature phone was a regular fast-food restaurant, the smartphone is a fast-food restaurant where consumers can choose everything from the bread, vegetables, patties, and sauces, and even sell them back to the restaurant.
This level of freedom in smartphones enables personalized experiences. Users can customize their home screens and create their own lifestyles through a variety of apps. For example, those who like to exercise can install fitness-related apps to manage their workout records, and those who like music can build their own music library through various music streaming apps. In this way, smartphones have become a tool that goes beyond simple communication to enrich and diversify people’s lives.
However, the difference between a smartphone and a PC is not as great as the difference between a smartphone and a regular phone. This is because the structure of a smartphone is essentially the same as that of a PC. However, smartphones are designed for low-power, high-performance, on-the-go use, so the following differences exist. The core elements of a computer are basically three: the CPU, the main memory, and the secondary memory, HDD and SDD. In smartphones, the central processing unit (CPU) is integrated into a single chip called the “mobile app processor,” along with the graphics processing unit (GPU) and the sound processing unit (DSP). It also has mobile DRAM, which is specialized for mobile devices, as its main memory. For secondary memory, it has eMMC, which is a combination of NAND flash memory and a controller. In other words, smartphones are essentially the same as PCs, but they differ from PCs in that they are equipped with devices that are specialized for their function as a means of mobile communication.
The development of smartphones is not only a technological advancement, but also a social change. Smartphones are closely related to the daily lives of modern people, and this has led to various social phenomena. For example, the proliferation of smartphones has led to the explosive growth of social media, which has revolutionized the way people communicate. People can now communicate in real time through photos and videos and share their daily lives with each other from anywhere in the world, beyond text messages and phone calls. This change has helped to reduce the physical distance between people and create closer relationships.
So how did smartphones, which have the characteristics of both PCs and traditional feature phones, get to where they are today? Let’s take a look at the history of the many companies that have been involved in the production of smartphones.
The first smartphone is believed to be IBM’s Simon in the early 1990s. Although it was a very underpowered phone compared to today, it was highly praised at the time for supporting various functions such as sending and receiving e-mail. After that, Nokia also produced smartphones. With the Nokia 9210, which had an open operating system, Nokia mass-produced smartphones that were more expensive than regular phones, but they did not become popular with the public. The Pocket PC OS smartphone created by Microsoft in the early 2000s was also very innovative. This was because the OS was similar to Windows and was familiar to consumers. However, it was not widely used by the public, as was the case with Nokia.
Then, in 2007, Apple released the iPhone, which included an iPod, a mobile phone, and mobile Internet. It used a capacitive touch method and also created a “store” where people could freely download applications under the iOS system, which led to an explosive response from people. In response to this craze, companies such as Samsung Electronics, HTC, LG, and Nokia, which was acquired by Microsoft, have also produced new smartphones under Google’s Android OS and have continued to release new models of smartphones. As a result, Apple has also been continuously developing and releasing new models. Currently, companies such as Xiaomi and Meizu in China are also releasing products with high performance at low prices using their own developed OS such as MiUI. Thus, the smartphone market is currently at the peak of competition, with various companies such as Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC, Microsoft, and Xiaomi continuously releasing smartphone models with new features, characteristics, and operating systems.
Smartphones have attracted the attention of consumers and become widely used because they give users a greater degree of freedom than regular phones and are smaller and more portable than PCs. And although its history is not long, various companies led by IBM, including Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC, and Xiaomi, have continued to release more convenient and better products and compete with each other to reach the current level. As a result, smartphones have become the number one essential item that is indispensable to modern people in the 21st century.
The development of smartphones will not stop here. In the future, technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and the Internet of Things will be added to smartphones, further revolutionizing our lives. For example, through artificial intelligence technology, smartphones will be able to learn users’ habits and provide customized services. Through augmented reality technology, smartphones will enable users to experience a new fusion of the real and virtual worlds. Through Internet of Things technology, smartphones will connect to various devices to make our daily lives more convenient. As such, smartphones will continue to evolve and become deeply rooted in our lives.
In conclusion, smartphones have become an important tool that goes beyond just a means of communication, changing our lives and opening up new opportunities. Therefore, we look forward to the future development of smartphones.
