The future of mobile: how things will change in 2018

The technological world is continually evolving. In the early noughties the world was obsessed with the mobile game Snake, followed by its successor, Snake 2. Think how much times have changed since.

Mobile phones, or smartphones as they’re commonly referred to, have the ability to pick up signal from all around the world, have the capacity to take photographs to highly professional standards, and can give you answers to your most pressing questions in a matter of seconds. But what’s next?

With the major phone providers looking to find their own niche in a highly competitive market, the likes of Apple, Samsung, Nokia and Sony are constantly trying to one up their rivals. So, how will the consumer take advantage? Let’s take a look at what’s to come in 2018 and bey

Your phone will recognise you

Okay, so we’ve already seen glimpses of this in the last few months – with the iPhone X leading the way. You can now unlock your phone by simply looking at it – pretty cool, right? But that’s not where it’ll end.

AI will continue to improve, so much so, that your phone will be able to recognise you by any distinguishing feature. The tone of your voice, the way you move, or the pattern of your typing. Mobile Business Insights suggest this will soon become the gold standards amongst the mobile elite and by 2025, 95% of all customer interactions will be driven by AI.

You won’t need a charger for your phone

Wireless charging has already found its way onto the market, but the longevity of batteries and how you charge your phone will continue to improve. As mobile rivals compete for public attention, they add extra processors which in turn drain battery life quicker. But there are solutions in the pipeline.

Nanobatteries, hydrogen fuel cells and solar power are all potentially viable ways of keeping your phone working for longer and without the need to carry a charger pack in your handbag.

More and more businesses, including the likes of coffee shops and restaurants will also be installing wireless charging points – so no matter where you’re off to, your phone will remain an important part of everyday life.

Apple will grow its market share

Around 90 million mobile users in the US have a mobile phone – close to 40% of all consumers (accounting for those who don’t own a phone). This already highlights how much of a control Apple have on the market and that’s only expected to grow as the years roll by.

The latest addition, the iPhone X, was met with plenty of hype despite the heavy price – and in 2018 we’re anticipating even more from the technology giant. In particular, all technology introduced in its 10-year anniversary addition will be improved, with enhancements to iMessage and improved LTE Advanced capabilities for more networks globally.

Apple Watch will also continue dominance in wearables, increasing its share to almost 30% – which goes to show how far the company has come since its founding in 1976.

Image via Unsplash

Social will take over our lives

If you don’t have a social account, you’re now in the clear minority. From a Facebook study, 94% of people were watching TV with their phone in hand. People seem unable to switch off from their phone and it really is involved in all aspects of life.

And what are these people doing? Browsing social media. Around 94% of all Facebook logins are made through a mobile phone, 82% of Twitter and 60% of LinkedIn. That’s not to mention Instagram, which is probably close to 100%.

According to Ding, around 39% of people spend over 5 hours on their phone each day and 83% use Facebook. It just goes to show how reliant we now are on that small gadget that fits comfortably into our trouser pocket.

Our screens brought to life

There were a few myths of old releases being able to project images, but this may soon become reality. The Retina Display already provides a sharper resolution to mobile users, but mobile giants are keen to branch into a whole new world of 3D and holographic features.

Projections will combine holographic and 3D potential and have the ability to integrate with the movement of users. MasterImage 3D showcased their development of this at the annual Mobile World Congress and future phones could offer this display of information. Think Minority Report, with an ability to resize the image with your hands or drag and drop objects by moving them from one place to another.

Wondering if mobile phones have reached their full potential? Think again. The opportunities are seemingly endless for mobile giants and as they fight for the attention of the world, the advancements will only continue to stagger and