Smartphones get smarter in 2018
Pat Pilcher outlines what tech to expect in this year’s phones.
Each year there’s plenty of speculation about what smartphone tech to expect and 2018 is no different. Here’s a rundown of what to look out for as well as what phones are coming.
Cameras
Improvements to image sensors and optics saw smartphone cameras overtake compact digital shooters last year.
Nothing stands still, and smartphone cameras are expected to continue to evolve in 2018. Dual cameras are tipped to become the norm for many flagship phones.
The reasons for this come down to size. There’s not enough room on the back of a smartphone to mount a decent-sized camera lens and have the phone stay pocketable.
Also, smaller lenses limit the amount of detail that can be captured. Adding a second camera allows the smartphone to capture images as if a much larger lens was used.
Artificial intelligence/ augmented reality
Tech leaders hyped artificial intelligence throughout 2017. It might not be anything new (we’ve had Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana for a few years already), but it will come of age this year as smartphone makers build it into a growing array of smartphone functionality.
Huawei is already doing this with the Mate 10 which has a dedicated AI processor called the NPU (neural processing unit). For example, the AI recognises what you’re photographing and tweaks the camera settings.
AI is also expected to drive tasks such as on-the-fly translation. Photographing a restaurant menu in Chinese could give you its English translation almost instantly.
Phones could use augmented reality so the screen becomes an interactive map with graphics merged with the camera’s view, providing turn-by-turn directions and highlighting attractions. Add gaming to the mix and possibilities are almost endless.
Design
Smartphones may be bigger and thinner, but they’re still the same rectangle slabs as the original iPhone. This year won’t see any major departures from this formula, but fine-tuning is expected.
Expect less alloy and more glass. There are good reasons for it. Glass doesn’t block electromagnetic energy which means you can have wireless charging. There’s also less conspicuous antenna bands.
Also expect fewer hard edges and a softer, more organic, rounded design. That said, the big challenge for most phone makers will be getting a look that isn’t too generic.
Displays
This year will see a migration to larger screens taking up nearly the whole front of a phone.
This larger screen-to-body ratio will see the standard 16:9 screens phased out in favour of taller and thinner 18:9 screen ratios. Samsung has already demonstrated this in the Galaxy S8+.
Also, smaller bezels will be huge. While tricky to achieve with LCD, the growing adoption of AMOLED screens will help to drive this trend. Expect wider support for HDR too.
Folding phones
AMOLED displays use plastic, so they’re flexible. In theory, this could translate into foldable screens. It’s a clever if somewhat gimmicky idea.
While closed, foldable phones will be roughly the same size as today’s smartphone.
The neat trick is that they open like a book to reveal a much larger screen. Nokia and the University of Cambridge have already demonstrated a concept foldable device they call the Morph which transforms from a bracelet into a smartphone.
The first big foldable phone expected may be the muchrumoured Samsung Galaxy Note X which is said to launch early this year.
Security
The move to all-screen designs will also require changes to fingerprint sensors which have remained one of the most reliable means of identity verification.
With screens consuming all available front space on smartphones, the top and bottom bezels are shrinking to the point where they’re too small to house a fingerprint sensor. Under-display fingerprint scanners get around this by being tucked under the screen.
Iris scanners and facial recognition will also become more commonplace. Iris recognition is regarded as one of the more secure methods and is difficult to fake but it can be tricky to use under some lighting conditions. While facial recognition hasn’t been regarded as very secure, increased use of twin front cameras will bring 3D facial recognition capabilities like those of the iPhone X to a wider range of phones in 2018.
Hot phones for 2018
Huawei P11
Rumoured to launch in February, Huawei’s P11 will be powered by Huawei’s Kirin 970 CPU. Twin cameras are also expected. Expect a strong emphasis on battery life too. It will be water resistant but it won’t have a headphone jack.
Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+
The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will make a big splash when they launch this year. Both will pack an Exynos 9810 CPU, along with duallens rear cameras and fingerprint scanners under their edgeless displays. While their updated design will consist of subtle changes, the internal specifications may throw up some surprises.
Samsung Galaxy Note X
Samsung is tipped to ship one of the first foldable phones under the Note banner. The Galaxy Note X has been the subject of much speculation and is said to have a book style folding screen atop a 7-inch chassis.
Nokia 9
The Nokia 9 could launch as early as January/February. It is said to sport a larger 5.7-inch 18:9 display with 6GB of RAM. Like the Nokia 8, it is said to pack dual rear 13MP cameras and a 13MP selfie camera on its front.