The history of cell phones and smartphones: a technological journey. From small and simple to large and full of features, the history of the cell phone shows all the evolution of this essential item in contemporary life.

The history of cell phones and smartphones: a technological journey

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From small and simple to large and full of features, the history of the cell phone shows all the evolution of this essential item in contemporary life.

Ask an expert to name which technology has evolved the most in the last few decades and they will unanimously say it was the mobile phone. O cellphone tried for several years to become the most compact and practical device in the lives of many users and, little by little, evolved into the smartphone, turning into a fantastic, feature-packed machine that has become the faithful companion of many people. Let's get to know how this cell phone story, how did it start (and where is it going)?

The first mobile phone (1983 – 1990)

In 1983, the world won the first portable mobile phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. The device cost US$ 4.000,00 and was a huge status symbol at the time. Two years later, the first mobile phone call was made on UK soil, with then-President of Vodafone Sir Ernest Harrison the happy recipient.

In 1989, Motorola continued DynaTAC with the 9800 times ou MicroCT, which came with a folding keyboard cover and set the standard for the flip phone seen throughout the 1990s.

1983: Motorola DynaTAC 8000X

Here we have Motorola's first attempt at creating a fully mobile phone. Huge and clunky by today's standards, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X it was the first step in the history of cell phones.

Phone
A pioneer, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X is Motorola's first attempt at a mobile phone

1989: Motorola MicroTAC 9800X

The first truly portable phone. Until its release, most cell phones were installed as a car phone due to the impossibility of fitting in a jacket pocket.

Mobile history begins with this microtak model
Popular, the Motorola MicroTAC 9800X defined in 1989 the next steps for the future of mobile telephony

The dawn of cell phones (1991 – 1994)

A Global System for Mobile Communications (GMS or “Global System for Mobile Communications”, in Portuguese) is still the most used mobile technology for cell phones on the planet. In 1991, this technology made its European debut with the Orbitel TPU 900, but it was only in 1992 that cell phones were no longer restricted to the business world.

Mass production has paved the way for more cost-effective cell phones with digital displays. THE Nokia was the first company to take advantage of the “cell phone wave”, launching the Nokia 1011 that same year.

1992: Motorola International 3200

The first hand-sized digital mobile phone.

Another one from cell phone history
This cell phone is the first mobile phone that fits in the palm of the hand, balancing cutting-edge technology and practicality.

1993: IBM Simon Personal Communicator

O IBM Simon Personal Communicator it was the first PDA/Phone combo. This would be the precursor of the touch screen?

Another one from cell phone history
This IBM cell phone can be seen as the predecessor of the touchscreen

1994: Nokia 1011

This was the first mass-produced GSM phone. It was produced until 1994.

Another one from cell phone history
The first mass-produced cell phone was developed by Nokia

A Pinch of Color on Your Canvas (1995 – 1998)

Even though the Siemens S10 only offered four colors on its digital display, it brought cellphone screens to life for the first time in 1997. That same year, hagenuk launched the hagenuk GlobalHandy, which became the first cell phone without an external antenna.

In addition, the customization of handsets began with Ericcson offering interchangeable color panels for the front of the cell phone. The following year, Nokia released a series of different cases for the 5100 series cell phones, making this device the first cell phone focused on customizing its look.

1996: Motorola StarTAC

The first clamshell cell phone. Also one of the first display screens in a cell.

Another one from cell phone history
The Motorla StarTAC became the first flip phone in the history of mobile telephony

1996: Nokia 8110

Also called the “banana phone”, this phone was popularized in the first movie. Matrix.

Another one from cell phone history
This Nokia mobile marked its presence forever in the pop culture imagination when it starred in The Matrix

1998: Nokia 9110i

This iteration of Nokia's Communicator series has significantly reduced the weight of this precursor to the smartphone.

Another one from cell phone history
This was, at the time, the lightest cell phone in its category.

1998: Nokia 5110

This cell phone was the most popular consumer model at the time of its launch and for some time afterwards.

Another one from cell phone history
Perhaps one of the most popular models of all time is exactly this Nokia model

Much More Than Just Phone Calls (1999 – 2002)

In 1999 Nokia unveiled the Nokia 7110, which would be the first cell phone to use technology WAP (a prototype of the “G” technology for accessing the Internet) that allowed the user to access information over a wireless mobile network. One year later the Sharp launched the first cell phone with a camera, the Sharp J-Sh04.

It was only accessible in Japan but signaled the beginning of the public's "obsession" with cellphone photos. Only in 2002 could the West enjoy this technology, when Sony launched the Sony Ericsson T68i and started the popularization of the camera as a fundamental accessory of cell phones.

1999: Nokia 8210

This phone was loved for its customizable design but hated for its screen fading.

Another one from cell phone history
Incomparable, the Nokia 8210 forever marked the history of mobile telephony as one of the most beloved models

1999: Nokia 7110

The first mobile phone with WAP browser.

Another one from cell phone history
Pioneer, first cell phone with WAP technology

2000: Ericsson R380

O Ericsson R380 featured a black and white touchscreen, partially covered by a flip.

Another one from cell phone history
With a touchscreen, this Ericsson model was quite popular in its time

2000: Nokia 3310

This popular phone sold 126 million models and was particularly popular in Europe.

Another one from cell phone history
Extremely popular, sold in the millions in Europe alone

2001: Siemens S45

Siemens' first GPRS cell phone with 360kb of internal memory – high at the time.

Another one from cell phone history
In its time, one of the models with the largest memory capacity

2002: Nokia 3510 (I)

The first Nokia phone to bring GPRS Internet services to the mass market.

Another one from cell phone history
Visionary, brought GRPS to market

The mobile data revolution (2003 – 2006)

In March 2003, the implementation of the technology 3G has driven download speeds of up to 2 MB/s for cell phone users in the UK. The RIM company brought mobile email to the public with its line of popular cell phones. BlackBerry: Activities such as floating on the Blackberry 8100 Pearl.

In addition, the emergence of front cameras in 2003 on devices such as the Sony Ericsson Z1010 showed that, very soon, video calling would be possible.

2003: Nokia 1100

This extremely popular design has sold over 200 million since its launch in 2003. This phone is rumored to have sold for up to US$ 32.000 in online criminal communities due to its ability to intercept unique bank passwords.

Another one from cell phone history
This model sold thousands of copies and has a bad reputation to this day.

2003: Nokia 6600

Considered very advanced at the time of its introduction due to its Nokia Series 60 platform based on Symbian OS. Launched in the US market as Nokia 6620.

Another one from cell phone history
This Nokia model was based on Symbian OS

2004: Motorola Razr V3

When it was introduced, it set the standard for elegant design in the industry.

Another one from cell phone history
One of the most popular models of its time, it stood out for its modern and elegant design and also for marking the history of the cell phone.

2005: Nokia 1110

Launched as a low cost GSM phone and widely used in developing countries.

Another one from cell phone history
What made this model special was the cutting edge technology at an affordable price.

The cell phone becomes smart (2007 – 2010)

Tap and swipe has replaced the traditional method of user interaction with their mobile device. In May 2007, the LG Prada became the first cell phone with touchscreen functionality. However, it was with the launch of Apple's iPhone that the use of touch screens began to become popular and the cell phone left its title in the past to become a "smartphone", due to the large number of different features that the device could perform.

2007: iphone

O iPhone The original was released in June 2007 with an auto-rotate sensor, a multi-touch sensor that allowed multiple inputs while ignoring small touches, a touch interface that replaced traditional QWERTY keyboards, and many other features that helped give Apple a near share of Instant healthy market at its launch and also into the history of mobile.

Another one from cell phone history
The first iPhone revolutionized the market

2007: Motorola Razr2 V9

The solid steel hinge and metal case make this stylish design luxurious and durable.

Another one from cell phone history
This Motorola model stood out for its modern design, going down in mobile history for good.

2008: iPhone 3G

O iPhone 3G It was made even more desirable by all the apps that could be purchased for it on the AppStore when it was released in July 2008.

The history of cell phones and smartphones: a technological journey. From small and simple to large and full of features, the history of the cell phone shows all the evolution of this essential item in contemporary life.
In 2008, the iPhone already had 3G internet access, a milestone in the history of the cell phone.

2008: Samsung Gravity

O Samsung Gravity is the first to feature a slide-out keyboard that has proven popular with other brands.

Another one from cell phone history
First model to feature a sliding keyboard, entering the history of the cell phone once and for all

2010: iPhone 4

The next step for the iPhone it was a higher resolution screen of 960×640 pixels and a more powerful camera, offering 5 Megapixels of quality to its users. Not to mention that the smartphone was much thinner than its predecessors.

Another one from cell phone history
The iPhone 4 stands out for the quality of its camera and also for being part of the cell phone's history

2010: Samsung Galaxy S

O Galaxy S from Samsung inaugurated the “S” smartphone family. The device offered robust configurations for the time of launch, such as a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, a single-core 1 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM and a 5 megapixel rear camera.

Another one from cell phone history
This Galaxy model is one of Samsung's first S-family models, a milestone in the history of the mobile phone.

Your best friend (2011 – 2014)

In a matter of a few years, smartphones have become an essential part of modern life, offering much more than just phone features. The first 4G connection service was launched in 11 UK cities in 2012, offering users download speeds of up to 12 MB/s.

Furthermore, voice recognition became popular with Google Voice even before Apple unveiled Siri, its personal assistant. Among other novelties, there is also the addition of a heart monitor in the Galaxy S5 from Samsung to ride the wave of mobile health and fitness.

2011: iPhone 4S

The great evolution of this model adapted from the iPhone 4 was that the 4S had a great 8 megapixel camera that allowed it to take fantastic photos with a resolution of 3264×2448 pixels and record videos in high definition (Full HD) with a resolution of 1920× 1080 pixels.

Another one from cell phone history
The iPhone 4S further elevates Apple's status by delivering one of the best cameras available on the market.

2011: Samsung Galaxy SII

Samsung was already beginning to show that the Galaxy S line would become the main competitor of Apple's iPhone. O Samsung Galaxy S II from Samsung had very similar specifications to the iPhone 4S, highlighting its 8 Megapixel rear camera. A milestone in the history of the cell phone.

Another one from cell phone history
This Galaxy S model turns out to be a direct competitor to Apple smartphones

2012: iPhone 5

Serving an audience that increasingly consumed media (such as videos and streaming) on ​​their smartphones, Apple decided to increase and refine the new iPhone 5. Even without significant improvements in its hardware when compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 5 presented several innovations in terms of design.

Another one from cell phone history
The iPhone 5 stands out for its design

2013: Samsung Galaxy S4

Here we have a true bestseller and one of the first members of Samsung's Galaxy S family to make as long lines of buyers as Apple does with iPhones.

O Samsung Galaxy S4 it was one of the first smartphones to support the 4G network, in addition to hardware that was the envy of any competitor at the time.

Another one from cell phone history
One of Samsung's biggest sales successes is this model of the Galaxy

2014: iPhone 6

Compared to the iPhone 5, the main difference from iPhone 6 was in its size: the device was almost 80% larger than its predecessor, and thinner! The hardware did not present much news, but the new feature of face detection by the smartphone's cameras left many users curious to try this amazing functionality and this model that went down in the history of the cell phone.

Another one from cell phone history
The iPhone 6 gives a new face to the Apple catalog

Size Really Matters (2015 – 2018)

The global adoption of 4G technology has significantly improved the quality of video streaming and video calling. For that reason, smartphone screen sizes continued to grow to improve the user experience, with the 7 iPhone Plus being 57% larger than the original 2007 iPhone screen.

Additionally, smartphone payments have also started to become popular with Apple Pay and Android Pay, offering users the ability to easily purchase items with a tap of their smartphone.

2016: iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

With iPhone 7 e iPhone 7 Plus, Apple's smartphone has made a big leap in the size and quality of its screen, as well as significant improvements in its hardware.

Another one from cell phone history
Robust, this iPhone model distances itself from small models and aims at large screens

2016: Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Fierce competition with the iPhone 7, Galaxy S7 e Galaxy s7 edge from Samsung brought bigger screens and the beginning of the “infinite display” concept.

Another one from cell phone history
First model to feature the so-called infinite display

2017: iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

12 Megapixel camera, 4K video recording and thinner than ever, the iPhone 8 e iPhone 8 Plus they were another Apple sales success and another one of those successes that went down in cell phone history.

Another one from cell phone history
Another undisputed Apple success

2017: Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8+

Ready to compete bit by bit with its competitor at Apple, the Samsung Galaxy S8 e Samsung Galaxy S8 + Samsung had similar hardware features to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, but all of them running on Android 9.

Another one from cell phone history
This Galaxy model is one of the most complete on the market

2018: iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max

Goodbye to physical buttons! As iPhone XR, iPhone XS e iPhone XS Max Apple has shown that the screen is definitely the most important element of a smartphone and therefore deserves to be highlighted. The new line of iPhones featured powerful hardware and a sleeker design than ever before.

Another one from cell phone history
Elegant design and powerful hardware are the keywords for these smartphones that marked the history of mobile

2018: Samsung Galaxy S9 and Samsung Galaxy S9+

If Apple does it, Samsung can do it even better! O Samsung Galaxy S9 e Samsung Galaxy S9 + expanded the idea of ​​“infinite display” inaugurated by the Samsung Galaxy Edge S7 and created a beautiful device that, seen from the front, is practically composed only by its high resolution display.

Another one from cell phone history
This Galaxy model delivers the most powerful model on the market so far

The world at high speed

In several parts of the world, 5G technology is already being implemented and very soon you will also be able to enjoy speeds of up to 10 GB/s! The fifth generation of mobile networking technology promises much faster and more reliable connection speeds, increasing the use of ultra-high resolution streaming video and mobile gaming.

Smartphone designs are moving towards an increasingly visual prioritizing experience with a large, clean display such as the OnePlus 7 Pro that has a notch camera, which is built into the top of the device and appears at the right time to take a picture, leaving your display completely free. We have entered another new era in cell phone history.

2019: iPhone 11, iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max

Bigger, more powerful and with more cameras, the new iPhone 11, iPhone Pro e iPhone Pro Max arrived to consolidate Apple as the technology company responsible for dictating the trends in the smartphone market.

Another one from cell phone history
Colorful, once again Apple dictates market trends

2019: Samsung Galaxy S10 and Samsung Galaxy S10+

With Samsung Galaxy S10 e Samsung Galaxy S10 + Samsung has decided once and for all that the screen is the most important element in a smartphone and all the space on the front of the device deserves to be its own. In addition, the company has invested heavily in high-resolution rear cameras.

Another one from cell phone history
Powerful display and screen are the highlights of this model

2020: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

Gradually conquering more and more consumers, the Chinese Xiaomi has consolidated itself as one of the main manufacturers of quality smartphones that can compete without problems with the high-end devices from Apple and Samsung.

Your latest model, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, is there to prove this statement that he, too, marked the history of the cell phone.

Another one from cell phone history
Xiaomi models stand out for their quality and affordable price

2020: Samsung Galaxy S20 and Samsung Galaxy S20+

Who knows what other technological surprises in the smartphone universe await us in this troubled year? For now, we can marvel at this incredible machine that is the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Samsung Galaxy S20+ from Samsung.

In addition to several hardware and software improvements, the smartphone has high-resolution cameras and features that are the envy of any professional photographer. That kind of smartphone that forever marked the history of the cell phone.

Another one from cell phone history
This is the latest model released and perhaps the most complete in its catalog.

2020: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

Last but not least, we cannot fail to show the next step in the evolution of smartphones with the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The models arrive bringing high performance with a bold look.

O Samsung Galaxy Note 20 has a 6,7-inch display, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra comes with 6,9, both with a 60 Hz frame refresh rate (plus 120 Hz for the Ultra). Both come with a stylish front camera. punch hole and the S-Pen's touchscreen response has been reduced by 80% to 9 milliseconds, according to Samsung.

The history of cell phones and smartphones: a technological journey. From small and simple to large and full of features, the history of the cell phone shows all the evolution of this essential item in contemporary life.
The history of cell phones and smartphones: a technological journey

So, what did you think of our technological journey? Tell in the comments which of these devices you already had (or still had) in the comments and share your story with cell phone technology.

source: Tigermobiles


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