Those connected with the business of smartphones have noted 2 things – that sales of phones worldwide have dipped, & that something needs to be drastically done to revive people’s interest in this gadget. And that something, say many tech gurus, could just be Artificial Intelligence (AI). The latter is expected to not only make smartphones, for that matter, most touch screen devices, obsolete, but also cleverer, if that’s the right word.
We at Whats New On The Net had reported earlier that current smartphone features had reached a plateau & that VR may be the superhero that may come to the rescue of falling smartphone sales. However, since the smartphone itself, in its physical form, seems to be stagnating today, it might not be a surprise if a whole new device replaced our current smartphones & other touch screen devices, feel some experts.
The Facebook owned Oculus Rift, for example, allows users to immerse themselves in a VR of their choice. As of now, 1 can ride a virtual roller coaster, explore space or play FPS games of choice. In the near future, as the platform expands, we will be able to experience a new kind of reality or augment our existing reality with similar devices from Google, Samsung & the ilk.
In research done on behalf of Ericsson among 100,000 smartphone users in 40 countries, half of the respondents believed that mobile technology would be a thing of the past by 2021. The respondents believed this would be possible since AI was becoming increasingly accessible.
The report also noted that voice-based technology would soon take over since it was not always practical to have a smartphone in hand for activities like driving or cooking.
Tech experts also believe that voice interaction will drive the next fundamental shift in delivering a deeper level of access to data. Experiences offered by Siri, Cortana & Google is what can be called the nascent stage of voice-driven technology. Another early example of this technology is Amazon’s Echo with Alexa for its customers in the US. Even as Alexa syncs with a companion app on your smartphone, it is still the first of a screen-less voice led assistant.
Amazon is betting big on this device that currently has functions including question answering, playing music & controlling smart devices. The device consists of a 9.25-inch (23.5 cm) tall cylinder speaker with a 7-piece Microphone array, speakers that include a woofer/tweeter & a remote control. Wearable tech also seems to be a strong contender to replace the smartphone, but in its present form, it seems to be unlikely. They surely are more practical & immersive, but they still need to sync with a mobile app for advance functions.
From the way things are moving though, it looks as if no single device will be replacing the smartphone. At least not in the near future. Whatever the device (in its future avatar) it will be the Cloud & AI software that will drive mobility. Users will be able to connect via any device that is available – smart wearables, VR headsets, Echo, Nest, Fitbit, Oculus Rift or a chip in your brain.
A report by Newsweek quoted Google Director Aparna Chennapragada as saying, “The goal has to be to “de-silo & unbundle the function of apps” so software like Google Now, Siri or Echo can mix & match app services to accomplish the task you requested.”
Once that happens, we won’t think of apps the way we do now. In fact, it’s likely we won’t think of apps at all.
Still, many believe that the physical smartphone won’t go away — no more than laptops have. The smartphone, though, is probably heading for a future as more of a pocket screen — something that allows you to watch videos, read news stories & take pictures when you’re out.
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