The 21st Century Smartphone Problem and Its Solution
1. Introduction
Over years smartphone have been competing exceedingly well each trying to outdo the other. And eventually it’s like we got to saturation point where every brand is basically trying to copy the other from reducing screen to body ratio introducing notch and even going to an extent of using pop up cameras.
All these with an aim of having better display and most importantly larger screens. Nobody wants to carry around a large bulky phone this being a reason why tablets are never favorites to majority. We all will agree that having a phone exceeding 200grams is assumed to heavy. Scoring poor to most tech reviewers.
Its hard to deny the fact that all these still don’t solve the 21st century tech problem that is a large screen that’s convenient to carry.
Innovative smartphone companies like:
i) Samsung
ii) Xiaomi
iii) LG
iv) Motorola
are all competing to come up with better ways to solve this;
From foldable phones to those with wings and the likes of Xiaomi going an extra mile to do 3600 screen display. Recently we saw the hachi infinite m1 projector known as the smart projector that is you can project it on any surface and you will be able to use the surface as a touch screen with high response time and low latency rate.
But the question is what are we all trying to solve? And why the next big technological breakthrough might be on AR , VR
Quote from Zuckerberg on AR as the next computing platform
‘The technology platform of the 2010s was the mobile phone. The platform of the 2000s before that was about the web, and the 1990s was the desktop computer. Each computing platform becomes more ubiquitously accessible and natural for us to interact with While I expect phones to still be our primary devices through most of this decade at some point in the 2020s, we will get breakthrough augmented real glasses that will redefine our relationship with technology
Augmented and virtual reality are about delivering a sense of presence – the feeling that you’re right there with another person er in another place. Instead of having devices that take us away from the people around us, the next platform will help us be more present with each other and will help the technology get out of the way Even though some of the early devices seem clunky. I think these will be the most human social technology platforms anyone has built yet
The ability to be present anywhere will also help us address some of the biggest social issues of our day – like ballooning housing costs and inequality of opportunity by geography Today, many people feel like they have to move to cities because that’s where the jobs are But there isn’t enough housing in many cities so housing costs are skyrocketing while quality of living is decreasing Imagine if you could be anywhere you chose and access any job anywhere else if we deliver on what we’re building, this should be much closer to reality by 2030’’
This introduces the Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) debate.
Keep reading to find out more.
Augmented Reality
what is augmented reality??
Commonly known as AR
Augmented reality (AR) is the real-time use of information in the form of text, graphics, audio, and other virtual enhancements integrated with real-world objects.” – Gartner’s IT Glossary. “Augmented reality is the rendering of digital images or data onto real-world objects
In simple term it’s an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the object that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer generated perceptual information
That simply means maybe having to call someone and then you literally see and are able to feel they are close to you. This basically is only possible by having a strong internet connection (5G).
Let’s go a touch deeper,
- Uses of AR
1. Medical Training
From operating MRI equipment to performing complex surgeries, AR tech holds the potential to spice up the depth and effectiveness of medical training in many areas
1.2. Retail
In today’s physical retail environment, shoppers are using their smartphones quite ever to match prices or search for additional information on products they’re browsing. World-famous motorcycle brand Harley Davidson is one great instance of a brand making the foremost of this trend, by developing an AR app that shoppers can use in-store. Users can view a motorbike they could be interested in buying within the showroom, and customize it using the app to ascertain which colors and features they could like.
1.3. Repair & Maintenance
One of the most important industrial use cases of AR is for repair and maintenance of complex equipment. Whether it is a car motor or an MRI machine, repair and service staff are starting to use AR headsets and glasses while they perform their jobs to supply them with useful information on the spot, suggest potential fixes, and means potential trouble areas. This use case will only still get stronger as machine-to-machine IoT technology grows and may feed information on to AR headsets.
1.4. Design & Modeling
From interior design to architecture and construction, AR helps professionals visualize their final products during the creative process. Use of headsets enables architects, engineers, and style professionals step directly into their buildings and spaces to ascertain how their designs might look, and even make virtual on-the-spot changes. Urban planners can even model how entire city layouts might look using AR headset visualization. Any design or modeling jobs that involve spatial relationships are an ideal use case for AR tech.
1.5. Business Logistics
AR presents a spread of opportunities to extend efficiency and price savings across many areas of business logistics. This includes transportation, warehousing, and route-optimization. company DHL has already implemented smart AR glasses in a number of its warehouses, where lenses display to workers the shortest route within a warehouse to locate and pick a particular item that must be shipped. Providing workers with more efficient ways to travel about their job is one of the simplest ROI use cases in today’s business environment.
- Tourism Industry
- Classroom Education
- Field Service
Then comes the next interesting part we can’t talk of AR without including Virtual Reality (VR)
iii) Virtual Reality
What is VR refers to a computer-generated simulation during which an individual can interact within a man-made three-dimensional environment using electronic devices, like special goggles with a screen or gloves fitted with sensors
Virtual reality (VR) may be a brand-new interface unlike the traditional one, immersing an individual during a digital 3D environment, rather than watching on a display. Computer-generated imagery and content aim at simulating a true presence through senses (sight, hearing, touch).
Virtual reality simulation requires two main components: a source of content and a user device. Software and hardware, in other words. Currently, such systems include headsets, all-directions treadmills, special gloves, goggles. VR tools should be providing realistic, natural, high-quality images and interaction possibilities. For this, devices believe measurements like:
- image resolution,
- field of view,
- refresh rate,
- motion delay,
- pixel persistence,
- audio/video synchronization.
The main challenge of VR is tricking the human brain into perceiving digital content as real. that’s tough , and this “immersion” issue is what still holds computer game experiences back from being enjoyable. for instance , the human field of vision doesn’t work as a video frame, and besides about 180 degrees of vision, we even have a sight
Yet, the VR visionaries are confident of overcoming such issues sooner or later, campaigning for the concept and collecting investments in millions. The virtual experience like 360-degree videos and pictures, VR apps, and games, are already available. There’s an honest enough choice of headsets also.
- Areas of use
Virtual Reality has the potential to form new discoveries and have a positive impact on multiple areas of our everyday lives. When it’s too dangerous or expensive to undertake something call at reality, VR may be a great choice to have. consider training aircraft pilots to surgeons, and areas like:
- Education: training to accumulate certain skills;
- Science: visualization of knowledge and research;
- Medicine: monitoring, training, diagnosing;
- Industrial design and architecture;
- Gaming and entertainment: immersive and interactive experiences.
If the value of VR becomes lower, it can go more mainstream and there might be even more uses. VR can make the technology more humane; it are often both entertaining and scientific. Will it overcome its challenges and limitations within the future? we’ll see in time .
iv) VR/AR/MR: what’s the difference?
Knowing what’s VR isn’t the complete picture of the tech world today. Virtual and Augmented Realities are very similar and sometimes the road between them is extremely thin. AR appends the important environment with a simulated one, overlaid on top. Augmented Reality applies algorithms and sensors to detect the position of the camera, then superimposes 3D graphics/objects into a user’s view via smartphones/glasses/projections.
One of the ways to explain the difference between VR and AR is to match skin diving and visiting the aquarium. computer games would be like swimming within the sea alongside fish, while in Augmented Reality you’d see a fish beginning of a pocket or a hand. On the opposite hand, unlike VR, AR offers users more freedom of action and doesn’t require a head-mounted display.
The term “mixed reality” is usually mistaken for augmented reality. But actually, MR (or hybrid reality) may be a more sophisticated quiet technology, where AR may be a subcategory of it. It includes non-commercial applications like military simulation-based learning programs, virtualization environments for manufacturing, healthcare, aviation, etc.
Major VR market players
The number one is, of course, Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. It is alittle , well-crafted device, requiring a connection to a computer. A user can either sit or stand while playing a game, though it’s somewhat limited in movements. With dozens of thousands of units being sold annually , Oculus stays at the forefront of the VR hardware niche.
V) wrap-up and conclusion
Well, seamlessly we expect something by 2030 during this for scene future. But as things stand there’s an expected break thru hopefully it works.
I can’t express how satisfying it feels to ascertain this become a reality
If there’s anything I left untouched just leave it in the comment section.
