The Future of Cell Phones

Since the popularization of cell phones, the definition of “phone” has changed dramatically in the average person’s mind. We have certainly come a long way since landlines and big, bulky phones wired to the wall.

Now, we are experiencing yet another redefining of what a “phone” is supposed to be. Thanks to the iPhone, the Droid, and the ever-growing fleet of “smartphones,” anyone with just another cell phone is falling behind. Like their bulky, wired ancestors, cell phones are quickly becoming a relic of the past. The future is here, and it has apps and a touchscreen.

Don’t go throwing away your old Nokia just yet. Fortunately, basic cell phones have not yet reached obsolete status. You can still stay connected to the world with older model cell phones. In fact, you can stay connected easier and much cheaper with these phones. But understand that they are indeed on their way out.

Just like 8-track tapes begat CDs, which then begat MP3s, technologies will naturally evolve and leave the past in the dust. Having a smartphone now is not only “cool,” it is almost expected of you in a fast-moving business environment. Having the Internet with you at all times is fast becoming a necessity of the modern workplace and social circle.

Traditionalists might scoff at this, and keep their old base model cell phone until the grave. There are still plenty of people with vinyl record players who will never get an MP3 player. Staying current with technology is not a priority for everyone, nor does it have to be.

But for those intent on “keeping up” with the rest of the world, smartphones are all but an obligation at this point. A new model smartphone is unveiled nearly every week these days. You better believe that people are buying them.

At this point it’s almost impossible to predict where cell phone technology will be in two years, let alone five or ten. But it’s safe to say that, in general, the future has already arrived.