 A model poses with the LG Electronics Touch-web phone, the “LH-2300,” which enables users full access to the Internet. |
By Park Hee-bongVice President of Product Planning Team, LG Electronics MC Company
The features on cellular phones are evolving very rapidly and as a mobile phone maker it is vital for us to closely examine the changing roles that mobile phones play.
At first mobile phones were simply used for communication. Now, however, they have become an important part of our everyday lives, serving as our schedule-keepers, entertainment centers and much more.
Just ten years it was unthinkable that people would spend a great deal of time looking at their mobile phones, and navigate them by touch.
The changes in mobile phones are far from over and one of the key concepts in their continued evolution will be ``Beyond Communication.'' This means features that allow users to access and create online content will have more value than older types of communication like voice and video calls.
Making Mobile Phone Internet Use More Popular
Over the next few years the most important advance in mobile phone technology will be in Internet connectivity. Mobile phones will move past extremely limited WAP browsers to embrace full internet browsing, allowing people to access the internet much like the do on computers.
Technologies behind the Internet have not grown substantially for the past several years. Full browsing will change this because it can show normal Internet pages more effectively.
It is also important that mobile phone hardware keep up with the advances in the mobile Internet.
On most of today's mobile phones the resolution is not high enough to view full websites. To make Web sites easy to read phones should have VGA resolution at the very least.
Also, as Web sites increase in size with greater use of multimedia, phones must have more memory and processing power to provide a good user experience.
Numerous Possibilities for Full-Browsing
The development of full browsing may do far more than allow people to surf the web. It could fundamentally change the way people use their mobile phones.
Currently people write and save e-mails on their mobile phones using software that resides on the phone. Full browsing will allow them to access e-mail through the same website-based systems that they use at home or the office.
Beyond e-mail, full browsing will open up possibilities for other web-based applications like games, videos, music and information services.
As this happens, mobile phone performance and usability will soon become important factors that differentiate different models and manufacturers.
Integrated User Experience
The most significant benefit to consumers from the development of the mobile Internet is an integrated user experience. For a long time it was difficult, if not impossible, to share information among different electronic devices.
The Internet is making this task much simpler, allowing people to access their information from any computer or mobile phone.
We are moving closer to realizing the concept of cloud computing, where all users can access their individual data from any channel.
Mobile phones will play an essential role in making this a reality. Within a couple of years mobile phones will be at the very center or web development.
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