In fact, a modern smartphone’s computing power has already surpassed the PC of a few years ago. And while current models have either Android, Symbian, iOS or Windows Phone 7, the next logical step would be devices with multiple operating systems, allowing you to dual or triple boot different operating systems.
Going forward, the smartphone will most likely find place as the central hub for a variety of other gadgets that you use. For instance, tomorrow’s TV could easily have a dock for your smartphone, instantly allowing full screen video calls and HD multimedia playback.
With advanced wireless technology, your smartphone could become a second screen for your PC, displaying tickers, stock quotes or pop-up messages, freeing up space on your primary display. Or it could serve as a wireless bridge, displaying the signal from your PC to a TV or monitor without wires.
Car stereos with phone connectivity are old hat, but imagine a car stereo that lets you dock a phone inside it, using the display of the phone as the primary display. In fact, New Zealand-based Fusion Electronics now sells a car stereo that lets you dock the iPhone in it.
JVC has announced that its 2011 line of in-dash AV receivers now have compatibility with MotionX GPS Drive. MotionX is a brand of navigation software for the iPhone. With the iPhone connected to the JVC head unit, it becomes the ‘brains’ of the system and displays 3D maps on the JVC’s widescreen monitor.
Phones with built-in projectors already exist, but the concept will be taken a step further when phones with projectors and built-in motion sensors are announced. Then, you could project an interface on a wall, and simply control it intuitively by moving your hands.
And with advanced integration and some clever apps, a super smartphone could be used to control everything in your house, from overseeing security, powering on the lights and adjusting the temperature of your bath water.
Certainly, the smartphone of 2011 is expected to be a connected, location-aware device. It will know when you are within the confines of your house, and will be able to exchange data at high speeds with various appliances.
It will be able to control the entertainment centre in your house, even predict your next move on the basis of your daily activities. And this is just scratching the tip of the iceberg. If 2010 was the year of the tablet, 2011 seems well on its way to becoming the year of the super smartphone.