Numerous phone manufacturers are pushing the limits of smartphones in both their current and future iterations, and some of them have already given us a preview of what phones of the future might look like.
These five inventions have the potential to completely transform smartphones, and I want to see them broadly embraced this year.
Silicon as the norm
Particularly in the United States, a battery revolution is long overdue. Silicon-based battery technology, which delivers up to 34% greater density, has been embraced by companies such as Honor and Oppo.
To put it another way, it enables us to obtain larger batteries without sacrificing thickness while maintaining exceptionally quick charging.
The Honor Magic V3 foldable sports a 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery while being only 4.3mm thin when unfolded. It often has a longer battery life than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold or Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Fast charging is also possible with silicon-based batteries; the Magic V3 can be charged via wire at 66 watts, the Oppo Find X8 Pro can be charged at 80 watts, and the phone I can’t discuss can be charged even quicker. Additionally, 50W wireless charging is supported by all devices.
Prior battery technology’s charging speeds were already available from each of these manufacturers. I’m hoping that other businesses that use silicon in their batteries will emulate the lightning-fast charging model.
Rollable or trifolding screens
The Huawei Mate XT is among my top picks for 2024. Huawei was the first to bring a trifolding phone to market, although Samsung had previously shown us a prototype. A trifolding phone is a foldable phone with a display that folds into three. Although the Mate XT is fantastic and nerdy, it isn’t really accessible.
Other phone manufacturers typically follow suit, so I’m optimistic that this year will see some changes in the foldable market. The present foldable format has been around for six years, yet the form factor is still lacking.
It’s one thing for a phone display to fold up into an iPad mini, but it’s quite another to have a phone display that can unfold into a 10-inch tablet.
The trifold and rollable categories seem like they might have the solution non-techies are looking for, based on my conversations with them throughout the year.
Personalize AI
The majority of AI features prioritize creativity above productivity. For a brief period, generative AI generates the most excitement, but it gradually loses its ability to revolutionize our everyday lives. It turns into a gimmick rather than a need.
Long-term commitment to AI will not be made possible by this, and end users’ investment in AI will decline as more businesses adopt the phrase to refer to all forms of intelligence.
The answer is rather straightforward: AI needs to concentrate on resolving more commonplace issues. Consider a personal helper rather than a clever robot.
Apple Intelligence makes some progress in this direction, but in order for consumers to fully embrace AI, phone manufacturers must present a compelling use case this year. Give us the clever bits as well; don’t simply concentrate on artistic activities.
An Ultra Revolution
Each manufacturer has its own naming rules for phones, but there is also a widely recognized industry standard that all phone manufacturers essentially adhere to. There was only one flagship for many years before the Plus, Pro, and Pro Max eras began.
Even though the Ultra era is already underway, phone manufacturers are already making a serious error. Current Ultra phones primarily have a secondary telephoto camera rather than a real Ultra that pushes the boundaries in every aspect.
With its unique design and built-in S-Pen, the Galaxy S24 Ultra attempts to go farther, yet all Ultra phones adhere to the same fundamental principles.
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Additional buttons for everyone
It’s amusing how some characteristics become popular and then go out of style. In the early days of most feature phone cameras, camera buttons were a common feature, however they soon became outdated.
Sony has had a camera button on its smartphones for a long time, but until September 2024, all other manufacturers stopped using them. Apple restored a distinct camera button with the iPhone 16 series, and Oppo quickly followed with the Find X8 series.
Compared to the iPhone, the Find X8 series incorporates the camera button in a more straightforward manner, emphasizing the camera’s launch and zooming in or out. Additionally, Apple switches between modes with the Camera Control button, and iOS 18.2 also included Visual Intelligence feature.
The future will be heavily reliant on vision and artificial intelligence, and convenient access to your smartphone’s camera will be a component of that.
But if we’re going to use camera buttons, they must be more than just a button. Allow me to use a single button to switch between camera modes or start Gemini Live.
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The 2025 phones to look out for
One thing is certain as the new year approaches: the battle is on.
Although Samsung leads the industry, everyone is after it. Google’s best-ever phone portfolio, which made me like Pixel phones, is proof that the company is now taking smartphones seriously. What can we expect from the Google Pixel 10 series this year?
Over the past 18 months, OnePlus, a company based in the United States, has demonstrated its ability to produce high-quality devices. Following its release last year, the OnePlus Open remains among the top folding phones available.
Will the OnePlus and Oppo foldable phones of 2025 be available? My favorite Android phone at the moment is the Oppo Find X8 Pro. How will the OnePlus 13 perform when it comes in two weeks?
It goes without saying that Apple is the major issue. Though not yet completely accessible, artificial intelligence (AI) and Apple Intelligence are both pervasive.
Although the firm made many audacious claims regarding the Apple Intelligence features, a nine-month feature rollout offers plenty of chances for a satisfying user experience. I’m excited to see what the iPhone 17 series and WWDC have in store, especially the rumored iPhone 17 Slim.
