Cellphones, hand phones, mobiles or wireless phones, they all refer to the same mobile communication technology designating the same concept. Although initially designed to support the standard voice functions specific to a regular phone, such devices have in time been given more and more accessories and additional services. Thus, besides the text messaging, one can get instant messages, emails, switch the packet to access the Internet, take photos with an inbuilt camera, listen to the radio or to MP3s, watch videos or play games, use the GPS and other satellite systems. Wireless phones have all the features you can imagine and more.

Martin Cooper, the Motorola researcher is acclaimed as the father of the wireless phones. The first cellular network ever launched in a city was NTT in Japan, as early as 1979. Only in the mid-eighties were the first automatic networks introduced, this time in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The commercial technology of wireless phones has come a long way since then, with great boosts of growth in the cellular system and the technological systems they rely on.

Real competition between wireless phones and their producers started in the early 90s in the real sense of the word since that was the time when the GSM standard was first introduced. From SMS text messaging to real conversations there was only a step, and ever since, cellulars have outrun all other means of communication. To understand the ample exposure of the phenomenon, it suffices to refer to the drop in the camera sales that appeared after the invention of the built-in cell high quality cameras that enable the high technical standards.

The Internet and the evolution of the wireless phones ran in parallel for a while before overlapping, and since then they have remained inseparable. This is how we got to enjoy the modern facilities such as email, fax, web browsing and even online video watching on the mobile. Digital technology also had its contribution to the invention of sophisticated batteries and the size reduction of all the cellphone components. We are justified to ask ourselves about where this road of cell phone evolution is taking us. Will we bask in the intricate features of the smartphones or long for simplicity?

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