From a $4,000 phone to MIT’s SixthSense, what’s next in mobile technology?

Thursday, April 16, 2009  //  0 Comments  //  Blog, Emerging Trends, Mobile Trends, On the Radar, Videos

We have come a long way from the world’s first mobile device. In 1983, Motorola launched the DynaTAC 8000x (A.K.A. – the “Brick Phone”) which weighed 2lbs. and retailed for a staggering $3,995. Over the past 25 years, global wireless subscribers have grown from 300,000 (in 1984) to over 4 billion wireless subscribers in 2009.

So What’s Next in Mobile Technology?

We are approaching the day when we no longer need to carry traditional mobile devices. Imagine a world where we can snap photos by simply gesturing with our fingertips, dial a number using digits projected into the palms of our hand, or view tag-clouds projected on a person we have just met. While this may all sound like science fiction, that future scenario is not too far away. In fact, MIT’s Media Lab recently launched a fascinating demo at TED showcasing their vision of the future.

If the advancements in mobile technology over the past 25+ years are any indicator of the future, I look forward to watching its evolution over the next 25+ years. Since we can’t fast forward into the future, how about we rewind and take a look at how we got here…