In today’s constantly evolving technological landscape, has it reached a peak in its usability relative to actual needs?
Does a quad-core processor represent an overkill to general computing needs?
With the iPhone and many other feature rich mobile gadgets already in the market, the path moving forwards seems clear – an era of technologically sophisticated mobile devices.
From the Greek word ‘telos’, teleology is the philosophical study of design and purpose and when applied to mobile phone technology begs the question: What is its essential purpose? Will better technological enhancements on a mobile phone lead to greater usage in mobile internet, voice calls and 3G applications?
In understanding the essence of the mobile phone, which is to make voice calls wirelessly, it might explain the slow adoption of 3G and other similar and connected technologies on the mobile phone.
As the primary use of mobile phones serves the need for wireless communication (voice/SMS), additional enhancements and features of 3G on the phone might be considered as add-ons and not as a staple function, thus rendering it to a secondary nature usage.
Besides voice calls, text messaging or SMS is predominantly the most used function in the mobile phone. Verizon Wireless, one of US largest network operator, in its records show the phenomenal growth of text, from just 1 billion messages a month in 2005 to 26 billion messages a month in 2008, roughly 312 billion messages a year now. Will the basic functions of the mobile phone continue to triumph over the ‘more’ advanced features? Perhaps, or maybe simplicity and practicality holds the key to increased adoption.