A smart phone is basically a portable device which combines computer and mobile phone functions into a single unit. Smartphones are becoming an integral part of people’s life and are gradually replacing hand held computers. Almost all the new models of smartphones have built-in GPS systems, camera and contact management features, making it easy to get information from the phone.
The first smart phones were based on the PC operating systems. The Mobile Phone Manufacturers’ Association (MMA) has developed standards for future mobile phones to ensure a common interface and data transfer facilities for all manufacturers. As the world moved from desktop machines to cell phones, the need for data storage capacity and speed increased. This led to the development of memory, processing and battery technology which is available in various sizes and capacities in smart phones.
Smartphones allow users to access multiple applications at the same time. It can be used to browse the internet, check email, send and receive calls, play music and videos, check maps, manage contacts and search the web. Users can also take the advantage of advanced text and multimedia messaging applications available in most smart phones to keep in touch with friends and family. Some latest smartphones also allow users to watch media content such as videos and music in different languages. The internet provides a platform where people can share and explore information freely. It also offers many entertainment options such as games, tele-nosis and instant messaging to keep people engaged.
The third phase of development in smart phones took up the need for increased storage capacity and speed. Software developers developed software to transfer data from the old PCs to the smartphones. After downloading these software, the old handset can be easily connected to the new mobile via the USB cable. The data is successfully transferred to the phone without any interruption.
Smartphones are powered by the same hardware resources that power desktop computers. The main difference lies in the fact that the former uses a different main memory than the latter to store applications, user data and applications. SMARTPHONES have different memory storage capacities depending on the model. There are three major brands of smartphone hardware including BlackBerry, HTC and LG. Apart from these, there are several other hardware vendors such as Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Apple and Microsoft which produce phones under these brand names.
The fourth phase of development in smartphones sees the entry of digital cameras into the marketplace. Many mobile manufacturers released high-end smartphones which come equipped with digital cameras. Digital cameras provide an excellent option to use images for sharing purposes on the mobile.