As Apple releases their iPhone 5 with improvements and upgrades, we reflect on features we’d like to see across the spectrum of smartphones. What if manufacturers partnered together? Could the product not be greater than the sum of its parts? What follows is our wish list for a Smartphone utopia.
1. Seamless work- home transition
What we want is the ability to transition from work to home and vice versa with one phone, not two. All the while keeping our numbers in tact, no mixing of digits or plans. The phone could ring (the only one in your possession) and you’d know if it was your boss or your mother by the ring. Screens would mirror the mode at the moment. For example, if coworkers call, the phone would summon work related screens and necessary applications. If you’re in the home mentality, you could program your phone to show only those contacts, apps, and information that pertain to your personal life.
2. Provider hot potato!
The ability to utilize multiple SIM cards at the same time has been possible in some form since 2000. We want to be able to work with two networks from one device: a business phone network, a personal phone network, possibly even a network for traveling and international calling. You can access these features in international low-end phones, so it’s time to make these options available in the smartphone market. What a great scheme for switching carriers depending on the type of call you want to make. Hello, free market!
3. A mini me for your device
Who wants to take a bulky phone along on trips outdoors or to a posh evening event? Wouldn’t it be great to have a mini-version of your smartphone that keeps all your contact information and some other necessary features? A mini-me smartphone would give you the punch without the bulk. If you lost it, no worries- the mother load, your pricey and data-loaded smartphone, is safe at home. Two devices with the same number is not a lot to ask- think of how this could simplify your life!
4. A smart-power switch:
Even though we’ve come a long way in the life of batteries for mobile devices, we are still, at times, burdened with the consequence of a dead phone from application usage. A solution? A simple button that will transfer your phone to power saver mode. Apps will be prevented from draining the battery so that you are able to make necessary calls. Even better? An alert that lets you know when changing to power-saver mode is necessary.
5. Offline workability
Have you found yourself in a place with no internet connectability while also needing to use an application on your smartphone? Too often, our most used apps require a connection to the internet. What if these apps allowed us to download most, say 85-90%, of what is needed and have the ability to work effectively offline?
We’re always realizing features we’d like to see as the mobile market advances. Feel free to add to this wish list by commenting below the advances you’d like to see.
Good link, bad link
