how Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi are reinventing themselves beyond mobile

Since the launch of the HTC Dream, the first smartphone with Google’s operating system, Android phones have evolved very well over the years. In fact, the advancement of certain technologies has been very high, which has allowed smartphones to become better and better, with such incredible features as 200 Mpx cameras or large batteries that only require a little more than 20 minutes to charge.

One difference from what happened a few years ago on Android is that currently, the degree of intergenerational improvement of Android phones is lower. Before, so to speak, changes from year to year were more visible. Indeed, there comes a time when the devices and the hardware they carry are so good that it can be difficult to improve them from year to year.

Right now, Android phones are at this stage and hence, many major brands on the market are also banking on other innovations and devices. In fact, who knows if in a few years we will continue to use smartphones as before in case other Humane AI type devices have taken over. It is a kind of miniature projector capable of displaying content in our own hand and has extremely simple controls, since the way to use it is to pinch the air and bring the fingers together.

Limits to improvement

A few years ago, it was easy to see the faults of cell phones, even at the high end, and to say what they could improve for the following year. A better processor, more RAM, a higher resolution screen or a more megapixel camera. However, with good performance in most sections of the devices, it is more and more difficult to surprise every year.

This is also because there are certain physical limitations that prevent improvements as great as before. In fact, the performance differences between Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and its successor are smaller than those between Snapdragon 865 and Snapdragon 888. This is why there is less and less difference between a generation of mobile phones and the next one. The same thing happens with operating system updates., as this has reached a point of maturity where developers have few major changes to adapt, as they focus more on improving performance and improving small details. This is similar to the economic principle of diminishing returns which, simplifying it a bit, says that with greater investment in productive factors, improvements become smaller and smaller.

Perceiving fewer differences from one mobile phone version to another means that users do not feel the need to change mobile phones almost every year, which could explain, in part, the fact that mobile phone sales are in decline globally for several years. a row. If, in addition, the device in question works well, the user will be less likely to reinvest in their smartphone.

In the long term, this could even lead some brands to question whether They should reduce the number of smartphones they launch each year, or how often they release these phones. For different reasons, some brands, like LG at the time or Sony currently, have decided to slow down their pace of smartphone launches, thus being able to work longer on maintaining current devices and improving their future cell phones. . . In fact, some of the most influential brands in the mobile industry are starting to launch new products into their catalog with a view to expanding their business with innovations that go beyond phones.

Focus on other devices

Imagining what devices we will use in the future can be extremely complicated. Although we have been accustomed to smartphones for some time, it is not clear whether in 10 years it will be the device that most people carry in their pockets, and for the moment, except for the new functions of With the AI ​​that brands are betting on, it’s hard to imagine bigger innovations reaching phones.

Some brands as big as Samsung or Apple have been working for years on new devices with which, even if they do not seek to replace cell phones, Yes, they are committed to bringing new consumer technologies to the user. This is the case of the Apple Vision Pro, the Samsung Galaxy Ring and the Xiaomi SU7. Augmented reality glasses, a smart ring and a smart car are certainly products that are moving away from cell phones.

MWC witnessed several of these products, which were present at the technology show. The Chinese company’s car would arrive with a autonomy up to 800 km, and with a clear intention to integrate with devices from other brands. By having HyperOS it is easy to connect with the rest of the products in the brand’s ecosystem, and this is what the company is looking for, that it can provide value in conjunction with its home automation, its accessories and the rest of its devices. .

For its part, the Samsung Galaxy Ring will also be a complementary device that will be available in 8 sizes and will have functions similar to those of a smartwatch, but in a much smaller body. There are already some of these devices on the market, but Samsung will be the first Android brand to take a chance on them, and Honor could follow behind, since it announced that it is also working on its ring.

The fact that mobile phones have peaked means that the smartphone market has stabilized and, therefore, their growth is slow and less dynamic than a few years ago. These brands, which also launch complementary products such as watches or headphones, have decided to enter little-explored and developing markets, with great room for innovation.

It is unknown what the future holds for us with cell phones, it is not possible to know whether we will continue to use them in the future or whether they will be replaced by another type of device. At the moment, brands are trying to find out what consumer preferences will be. This could lead to significant changes in the market, especially at the high end, since the smartphone could move to a more secondary role in which accessories are the most relevant devices.

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