In 2009 the mobile phone industry had to face up to the realities of the global recession and giants including Nokia and Sony Ericsson faced falling share prices and rival firms taking away the customers who had previously been loyal with more impressive products than they could muster. This allowed firms like Apple, HTC and BlackBerry to make their mark with innovative software and advanced hardware, cementing their positions in the mobile marketplace and making the general public aware of a shift of power within the industry.
In mid-2008 Apple had released the second generation of its iPhone, the 3G and with the essential inclusion of high speed mobile internet connectivity to backup its impressive touch screen interface and much imitated App Store download platform. The 3G continued to be the flagship iPhone until its successor the 3Gs was introduced in 2009. This has proved to be the most successful iPhone yet and with a beefed-up processor, an updated operating system and a better digital camera with MMS and video capture onboard, the 3Gs set a new benchmark which other manufacturers have been attempting to match ever since.
2009 was also the year that the Android mobile operating system from Google made its mark and laid the groundwork for even bigger growth in 2010. HTC had produced the first Android-based smartphone back in late 2008 and this was released as the T-Mobile G1 in the UK. However, it was the HTC Hero, also known as the G2, that saw the biggest success wrung from the platform. This was largely because the Hero was such an impressive piece of technology, with a 5 megapixel camera and a quirky design. But the fact that HTC had produced its own user interface, called Sense, was equally important, as it added more homescreens and incredible customization possibilities to the Android platform.
For business user the BlackBerry smartphones from Canadian manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) have become essential tools in their day to day lives. In October 2009 the brand new BlackBerry Bold 9700 was released and as well as offering physical changes like an optical trackpad and a 3.2 megapixel camera, the phone came with the brand new BlackBerry OS. This offered even more applications and file compatibility than ever before, as well as building on the reputation of the web browser. The Bold, like the iPhone, has been emulated by other manufacturers seeking to benefit from its success, but it remained the business phone of choice in 2009.
Now that 2009 is over, most people are looking to the future and asking what kinds of mobile technology will make it big this year. 4G networking will begin to replace 3G technology by the end of the year and download speeds will jump from less than 10Mbps to a theoretical maximum of 100Mbps. A precursor to 4G, LTE, will also appear and alter mobile phones deals and technology for the better. Smartphones sporting 4G connectivity will appear as soon as the networks are widely available and the price of smartphones is set to fall in 2010, making them available to a wider audience.
(Presented By RJR Discounts In Partnership With Mobiles.co.uk.)
