Future of Wireless Devices
Faster and more efficient high-speed networks will be yielding more functionality and greater flexibility for handheld devices. As connectivity speeds increase, manufacturers will be developing multimedia devices that look and function like your cell phone. We are on the verge of the fourth generation (“4G”) of this technology. The data that is anticipated to be transmitted necessitates the development of these more powerful networks.
Wailin Wong, Chicago Tribune staff writer, describes in an article our sojourn from 2G which was our ability to make and receive calls as well as share photos and download ringtones, to 3G our present system which allows surfing of the net and accessing data-intensive media, and now the future which is 4G and will allow us to upload personal videos.
Two of the players in the market, Verizon and Sprint, are developing their technology now. Verizon’s technology is called Long Term Evolution and Sprints is WiMax. Ken Dulaney, of the Gartner Group, points out that the handset is key to this market:
“In the cellular world, it’s all about the handsets. If you have a new network and no handsets, who cares?”
Motorola, a late comer to the handset market for 3G technology, is trying to redeem itself against such competitors like Samsung. Motorola makes the WiMax technology for operators as well as consumers and is betting on this new technology to be embedded in numerous consumer devices in the coming year. They will enter the market with WiMax and continue to prepare for development work in Long Term Evolution in the coming years.
To read Wailin Wong’s full article click here.
