When IBM launched the first smartphone in 1994, not many people thought they could turn out to be the amazing devices they are today. The first smartphone had email capacity, a touchscreen and a handful of inbuilt apps such as a sketch pad and a calculator.
The modern smartphone has tens of inbuilt apps, and others can be downloaded in various stores. The type of smartphone that we had a decade ago is completely different from what we have today. There are thousands of smartphone brands and models out there. Even when you randomize a list of some brands, you will still be spoilt for choice. However, all these smartphone manufacturers are always led by customer needs and trends. Let us explore the different trends that will dominate the smartphone space in 2021:
Smartphone gaming is now a thing
What were you likely to do when you wanted to play games in the past? Visiting a gaming lounge or buying some gaming consoles were the most common options. Things have now changed, and people can now play games online in the convenience of their homes. Game developers have also recognized that the number of smartphone users is ever rising and thus creating games supported by mobile devices.
Some of the features that smartphone developers are banking on to make mobile gaming a reality include ultra-fast storage, high refresh rate screen and cooling. Some companies such as Xiaomi, ASUS and Lenovo have already rolled out dedicated smartphones for gaming. We can also see game developers who release both mobile and PC versions of their game to increase their reach. Expect new models that are ready for mobile gaming.
Integrated payment methods
Most people in the modern world used credit and debit cards for online purchases. However, the trend is changing as people want to have all their solutions at the palm of their hands. Mobile payments are thus taking over, and people can now pay with their smartphones at a click. Countries like China are ready leading the pack after rolling out Digital Currency Electronic Payment which seeks to eliminate the circulation of physical cash.
We have also seen companies such as Samsung that have a cryptocurrency wallet on its Galaxy S10 series. Different companies are also adopting mobile technology to purchase credits that users can utilize in their stores. A good example is PlayStation, where users can buy PS credits and then use them to shop for games online.
5G
This is a hot topic of discussion in the modern world. South Korea is the leading country on 5G availability. The technology is already rolled out in more than 34 countries globally, and some of the early adopters include China, the US and the UK.
Smartphone users are expected to have more bandwidth with the adoption of 5G technology. Downloading and streaming HD videos will also be easier and faster when most people adopt this technology. There is a lot of politics around this revolutionary technology, but we expect that this is the year that it will be rolled to many countries.
Artificial intelligence is taking over
Some smartphones allow users to issue commands through voice commands, and AI is the technology behind that. You can command the phone to dial a person, open the contact list, email or even the gallery. Some of these mobile devices also provide extra security as they allow you to set the voice that you will be using to unlock your phone.
AI is also being used to grow businesses. The mobile device will collect your browsing history and send you promotional content that serves your needs. It is also making it easy to capture beautiful images on smartphone cameras. AI is responsible for noting whether you need to turn on the flash, you need portrait or landscape photo.
Targeted marketing will take over
Most business owners understand the importance of marketing in the modern world. The same people understand that almost half of the web traffic comes from mobile devices. People are mostly on their smartphones, searching for information and getting entertained. Such business owners are thus creating ads targeted at mobile users and increase their reach. Local target marketing will also be a thing this year.
Above are some of the trends that you should watch out in the smartphone space in 2021. Some of these trends will have a bigger impact than others. It is also worth noting that some of these trends might be relevant to some regions and not in others.