A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced features and that connects to the Internet through a wireless network. It can make and take calls, send SMS messages, access the Web, run software applications, and even make and receive phone calls.
The mobile OS that a smartphone runs and the apps that it can run to enhance its capabilities are the most important factors. These apps can include games, calendars, organisers, reading tools, and apps for businesses.
The best smartphones are quick, powerful, fast and have long battery lives. These are the criteria we use to rate smartphones. Our ratings are based in testing dozens and dozens models from leading vendors each year.
Smartphones have become an integral part most people's life. They allow you to stay in touch with your family, keep memories alive, watch movies and TV, play games and read e-books.
The cost of buying a new smartphone is often high. To get the latest smartphones, many consumers opt for a monthly contract plan to subsidise the cost. This is a great way of saving money on new devices and usually lasts for 18-24 months.
How to select the best smartphone for you
It is a big decision that requires a lot research. It's also important to know which features matter most to you. Do you require a high-resolution lens camera or a big screen for video and photos?
Also, consider how much space you require for apps and files. The majority of phones have a minimum 128GB memory, but you will need more if you plan to download large files.
Smartphones are touchscreen devices that make them very easy to use. They can be manipulated with a simple swipe or tap of the screen, so you can use them for everything from email to playing music and video.
As companies such as Samsung and Apple invest heavily in photonic-crystal displays that detect when users press down on the screen, pressure-sensitive touchscreens may be the next big thing for smartphones. This technology will be able to provide a more natural user experience, especially in gaming.
The photonics crystal display will require an external light source. But it is expected to cost less than existing OLED or LCD screens and be easier to integrate into smartphones.
A smartphone with a photonic display would have to use a different format than the current LCD or OLED screens. So it's unlikely that they will be on smartphones before 2021. But, these types of screens may become more popular over the next few decades.
Smartphones can be used to make medical breakthroughs
Smartphones are a potential game-changer within the medical field. They can be used for tracking cancer cells and malaria cells. But they also have the potential to be used to monitor infections and outbreaks in minutes or hours.