Mobile Handset News

Handsets are the most commonly used gadget in the world and also the one that has changed the most. The majority of cellphones in use remain fairly simple products with small screens, wireless connectivity and a focus on voice and SMS. But the fastest growing category is the smartphone, which brings PC-style applications, processing power and an open operating system to the handset form factor. These models are typically larger than their featurephone counterparts, with touchscreen displays, processors of 700MHz or more, and are mainly focused on data services such as social networking, maps and application or content downloads. The change in the handset market has also altered the balance of power between vendors, with traditional market leaders Nokia, Samsung and LG initially outsmarted by firms from the PC/web world, like Apple and Google (though Samsung and LG are now fighting back by supporting the fastest growing handset operating system, Android). Future handset trends are expected to include multicore processors, even larger touchscreens and augmented reality. They are taking on the functions of many other devices, such as music players and even wallets, though some of their capabilities are, in turn, being taken over by the tablets.