Monologues

In today’s modern world, what is that one thing that goes wherever you go?

Remember the bulky handheld cell phone which looked more like a giant-sized cordless phone or more popularly known by the Chinese as tai ko tai? Though it weighed more than a kilogram and had a hideous antennae jutting out from the phone, everybody wanted one; even your dad and mine. The Motorolo DynaTAC by Martin Cooper was the first commercial handheld cell phone which ripped the pockets of each consumer approximately 3500 US dollars when it was first released in 1983. Having said that, only the rich and famous could afford it. It’s absurd how one were willing to fork out so much for a phone that can only talk, listen and dial when you can easily get a feather light phone which can do what the Dyna-Tec does plus SMS capabilities and polyphonic ringtones with a coloured screen for less than RM100 now.

The legendary Motorola DynaTAC Photo credits to techfresh.net

Handheld cell phones have evolved immensely since 1983, both in design and function. From the Motorola DynaTAC, that Michael Douglas used so forcefully in the first Wall Street movie to today’s revolutionary Apple iPhone 4 which was released this June.

Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street Photo credits to pocket-lint.com

The new Apple i-Phone 4 Photo credits to Apple

The cell phone market was initially monopolised by Motorola with its DynaTAC, MicroTAC and International in the first decade. As competition arises, competitors step up. Nokia stomped the market in 1987 with its Mobira Cityman but only managed to dominate the market in the second generation of mobile technology with the launch of Nokia 1011, the first GSM (subscribers can use their phones throughout the world, enabled by international roaming arrangements between mobile network operators) phone in 1992. Nokia has climbed to dominance ever since and overtook Motorola as the world’s leading cell phone manufacturer in 1998; but not until Apple decided to threaten its position with its iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4.

Nokia 1011 Photo credits to visionnet.nl

Today there are more cellular subcribers than landline phone subscribers in the world, with cell phones weighing as little as 3 ounces. With the evolution of cell phones pushing it to the limits, especially the iPhone 4 — a phone, camera, GPS, web browser, email, chat messenger, game console, music and video player all in one — I wonder what’s next. From GSM phones to today’s sleek and stylish smartphones, what would replace smartphones? Most importantly, how would the iPhone 5 looks and functions? Would it be lighter, slimmer and with cooler features?

Here’s the leak on the future iPhone 5!