Beyond being just a medium of communication, mobile phones have numerous features included, which make them more important than ever.  

In the past, these devices were just mobile phones, now it’s more like they are mini computers that happen to have the ability to make phone calls. When they were first introduced, they were mainly used to make phone calls and to send or receive text messages, while some had game features. Over the years, they developed to include the ability to play music, take better photos and to browse the internet. 

The move from analog to digital is what really facilitated these tech developments. The main difference between telephones and mobile phones is that they send and receive calls without wire connections. With the various cells in urban areas and increasingly rural areas, connectivity is better, which means more people can own mobile phones. 

Research has shown that there are about 7.7 billion handsets globally. 

Mobile phone designs nowadays feature a combination of multiple gadgets, all in one. When Apple released the iPhone in 2007, the industry was transformed. Since then, devices that have been developed continue to break new ground.  

As more phones feature touchscreen technology and more designs have moved towards removing physical keyboards, latest designs feature devices without physical home buttons.  

Devices such as the Nokia N95 gave us the 5 megapixel camera, while Huawei devices continue to challenge the duopoly created by Apple and Samsung in the smartphone industry. Advances in mobile phones cannot be mentioned without discussing camera developments. More mobile phones feature high quality cameras with the ability to record 4K video in some cases, rivalling some of the best devices. 

GPS-tech-supported phones have made life much easier, while virtual assistants have also improved lives.  

Advances in mobile phones continue to revolutionise the ways in which we communicate.