12 Hot Trends for Mobile Phones

The smartphone of 2012 doesn't look anything like the smartphone of 2011. Look to the future and you can see how we are set for more revolutionary changes. A look at technologies and trends that will transform the mobile in the coming months.
Courtesy: Gadgets & Gizmos

1. ANDROID 4.0 GAINS GROUND
Google's response to the Android fragmentation was the Android v4.0, or Ice-Cream Sandwich, combining the best of Gingerbread and Honeycomb. Android v4.0 seems to be the hottest OS of 2012.

2. INCOMING QUAD-CORE
Smartphones are all geared up to compete against the new breed of tablets that are technically an extension of the phones and to help them out will be quad-core processors.

3. CARRIER BILLING FOR APPLICATIONS
Since 2008, smartphone users had to register their credit card or debit card details on the device's application store to purchase paid apps. But this is set to change as Microsoft, Google and even BlackBerry are initiating operator billing for apps.

4. BIGGER, BETTER SCREENS
Apple did introduce a relatively bigger screen size with the launch of the first iPhone, but other manufacturers have started looking beyond the 3.5-inch capacitive display.

5. IS JELLY BEAN THE FUTURE?
The natural succession after the Android 4.0 will be Android 5.0, also known as the Jelly Bean. Latest reports suggest the next version of the Android operating system may release as early as April-June 2012. Recently, Asus confirmed it would be the first to offer the update.

6. BETTER CAMERA?
Along with better processors and bigger displays, the cameras in smartphones too have been in the limelight of late. Surprisingly, instead of the megapixel war, the focus seems to have shifted to technology that can enhance images as well as the process of capturing them.

7. CHEAPER SMARTPHONES
Smartphones will no longer be the preserve of the rich. While operators and Indian handset manufactures are already trying to bring in affordable smartphones, Airtel CEO Sunil Bharti Mittal has announced that he wants smartphone prices to drop to below $50.

8. NFC TO GET MAINSTREAM
Near Field Communication, or NFC, has been in the news for a couple of years. But then, like Bluetooth, NFC too will take some time to go mainstream. For this, the basic requirement is the existence of an ecosystem of handsets and services.

9. LTE
LTE, or Long Term Evolution, is also creating a lot of buzz. While some companies are already testing LTE (or "4G") networks, even running pilot projects, some top-end models have started including this as a standar connectivity option.

10. DUAL-CORE TO DOMINATE
The transition from single-core to dual-core processors has been anything but easy. Brands such as Sony Ericsson, which did not even announce a single handset with a quad-core processor has managed to stand up tall with dual-cores. Tip: Investing in a smartphone with dual-core processor will be a wise decision.

11. GOODBYE CARD SLOTS
Many criticised Apple for not including expandable memory card slots in the iPhone and the iPad. It seems that even the companies today have realised that with the increased inbuilt memory of smartphones, not many make use of up to 32 GB expandable card slots.

12. MOBILE MONEY
India might be the second largest mobile market in the world but when it comes to technology we still lag behind. We have NFC-enabled handsets now, but they are not being used for mobile payments. However, the rest of the world is looking at replacing cash and plastic cards with smartphones.