Tech giants are reinventing the age-old mobile phone
Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.” These words, spoken by Alexander Graham Bell, were what marked the advent of telephone-based communications. The field has witnessed several innovations and undergone several evolutions since then. The world’s first commercial mobile phone, Motorola DynaTAC was launched in 1984. The first text message was sent in 1992; IBM Simon, recognised as the first ‘smartphone’ to feature software applications, was launched in 1994. Yearslater, this tradition of breakthrough innovations and constant reinventions is being continued in great style.
The future in your hand: How rapid mobile innovations have transformed the world?
Cutting-edge turnkey solutions from tech giants have played a major role in facilitating successivedigital revolutions, first through feature phones and then through smartphones. Quick to adapt and implement, these solutions allow any new hardware and software innovation to be deployed swiftly within the mobile ecosystem. Latest technologies are able to reach the market much faster as a result, while consumers have access to better services and applications, with more security, thanks to innovations like iris scanner and fingerprint scanner.
Consider, for example, the latest trend of integrating dual camera modules. A wide-angle camera is usually housed alongside the main camera module, making it possible to capture larger group pictures as well as landscape/architecture shots with better sharpness, clarity, and colour definition. The technology marks the next evolution of mobile photography and is finding great favourwith major OEMs across the world.
Similarly, constant innovations in semiconductor device fabrication have led to a major transformation in smartphone technology. Chipsets fabricated with 14 nm processes are fast becoming a staplefor leading mobile brands across the world. These high-performance chipsets have made it possible for consumers across the world to own sleeker, faster and more powerful smartphones at comparatively lower costs. Chipset manufacturers are now exploring more commercially viable 10 nm processes to improve upon their existing capabilities. This will not only make high-end smartphone technologies more affordable and accessible to the mass consumer, but will also play a huge role in laying the groundwork for a mobilityled future.
The quest for constant improvement: Why large tech companies keep innovating so rapidly?
The answer to the question lies in business methodologies usually implemented by leading tech-driven organisations across the world, a prominent example of which is Kaizen. Derived from the Japanese word for constant improvement, the methodology finds favour with a lot of global business leaders for its focus on making incremental positive changes, nomatter how small, across different functions. Tech giants following this philosophy thereforeeither look for ways to improve upon products already existing within their ecosystem, orlook at devising completely new solutions to tackle previously unaddressed problems. It is this quest for nonstop improvement that propels rapid innovations in the technological landscape.
Talent-led innovation: The importance ofhiring people with the right skillset
Another key aspect driving innovation, which often flies under the radar, is the acquisition and retention of top talent. The technology market is extremely volatile and is constantly at the forefront of pioneering breakthroughs and cutting-edge innovations. The learning curve here in the industry is long and full of learnings, and success only comes after multiple failures, from failing in a better way than before. Where leading technology firms steal a march is in identifying and retaining key employees, especially those known for their creative thought process and out-of-the-box problem solving approach.
Information is the key: Keeping in touch with the latest innovations
Mobile tech leaders also stay in touch with the latest developments around the world, especially those in upstream companies which either work in semiconductor fabrication/ design processes or in intellectual property core. For example, leading multinational fabless company, Spreadtrum recently helped its partner brand launch India’s first 4G feature phone. This is seen as a major breakthrough as the 4G has seen a rapid adoption among masses. Another example is of semiconductor and software design firm ARM Holdings that recently added artificial intelligence and machine learning focussed instructions in its latest chip design. The development will allow for better, more powerful SoCs more suited for processers employed in the fields of AI, IoT, and machine learning. Interconnectivity will receive a tangible boost as a result, as smartphones become well-equipped to facilitate interconnected and IoT-driven operations.
These, then, are the ways that today’s technology leaders are driving transformative innovations which are ushering in a new era in the way that the world operates. The vision of a truly interconnected, digital-first tomorrow is no longer just a distant dream — it is fast becoming a tangible reality.
constant innovations in semiconductor device fabrication have led to a major transformation in smartphone technology.