Cellular phone of the future to bear the capacity of super computer

The cell phone will be shortly capable of combining all means of communications. Apart from that, it will be able to connect to the Internet and wireless networks in a faster and easier manner. And at last but not the least – the price of the new phone will not exceed that of the regular cell phone. These are the bright prospects by courtesy of cell telephone manufacturers. The debate about the future cell phone is in full swing at the annual 3GSM Congress currently held in Barcelona.

Photo: Cellular phone of the future to bear the capacity of super computer

The congress in Barcelona ranges over a variety of ideas including daring innovations that will be able to change existing notions about communications, and crazy concepts that will never become a reality. Incidentally, the congress is an indicator of telecommunications industry.

The Western media reports participants of the congress believe that a telephone hybrid capable of working as a cell phone and wireless device has excellent prospects. It was already dubbed cell-fi, a cross between cell and wi-fi. Research firm Gartner estimates that a total of 20 million units of about 20 models of the new phone will be manufactured this year. The phone will enable the user to cut the cost of phone calls in half, according to analysts at Forrester. Needless to say, the cell operators are strongly opposed to innovational technologies. Some of them simply tend to ignore the spread of wireless systems and the success of IP-telephony. Others try to somehow benefit from a competitive and cheaper technology. Analysts predict even greater convergence of telephone systems as manufacturers prepare the new phone for marketing. In the future, a combined cell phone should supersede a cellular, office, and home landline telephone, according to analysts.

Participants of the Barcelona congress also keep discussing a new technology called HSDPA, an acronym stands for High Speed Downlink Packet Access. The technology was originally unveiled at last year’s congress. Both operators and manufacturers of cellular telephones admit that so far the speed of downloading music, movies, and ringtones has left much to be desired. Many a user are dreaming about an easier and faster way of using the Internet. The new technology seems to able to keep the user happy by making more efficient such services as e-mail, ISQ, video and television programs etc.

Microsoft announced more good news for the consumer. The corporation promised to cut a retail price of the Windows Mobile smart phones by 2-3 times, to $100 per unit within the next one or two years. Microsoft should step up its efforts due to increasingly tougher competition it is geting from Symbian, yet another company building software for mobile communications. Symbian already reduced the price of its operating system by two times. Both companies say smart phones will become akin to computers in terms of functions.

Izvestia Nauki