Mobile Computing Evolution & Impact
Mobile Computing Evolution & Impact
There are more mobile devices accessing the Internet than there are human beings living on Earth
refers to a technology that allows transmission of data, voice, and video via a computer or any other wireless-enabled device
without having to be connected to a fixed physical link
any computer device that you can use while on the move.
There are 3 main concepts of Mobile Computing it involves −
Mobile Communication
Mobile Hardware
Mobile Software
Mobile communication
the infrastructure put in place to ensure that seamless and reliable communication goes on.
devices such as protocols, services, bandwidth, and portals necessary to facilitate and support the stated services.
The data format is also defined at this stage.
This ensures that there is no collision with other existing systems that offer the same service.
the media is unguided/unbounded
the overlaying infrastructure is basically radio wave-oriented.
Mobile Hardware
includes mobile devices or device components that receive or access the service of mobility.
would range from portable laptops, smartphones, tablet Pc's, Personal Digital Assistants.
These devices will have a receptor medium that is capable of sensing and receiving signals.
These devices are configured to operate in full-duplex, whereby they are capable of sending and receiving signals at the same
time.
They don't have to wait until one device has finished communicating for the other device to initiate communications.
Above mentioned devices use an existing and established network to operate on. In most cases, it would be a wireless
network.
Mobile software
the actual program that runs on mobile hardware.
It deals with the characteristics and requirements of mobile applications.
This is the engine of the mobile device.
In other terms, it is the operating system of the appliance.
It's the essential component that operates the mobile device
It incorporates all aspects of wireless communications.
Since portability is the main factor, this type of computing ensures that users are not tied or pinned to a single physical location,
but are able to operate from anywhere. It incorporates all aspects of wireless communications.
the hardware-software environment for laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other portable devices.
Windows and Mac environments lead the field for laptops
Apple and Android lead in the area of smartphones and tablets
with Windows Phone and Blackberry, also making their presence felt in the area of smartphones.
Mobile apps
computer programs that run in these hardware-software environments, specially designed for smartphones, tablets, and other
mobile devices.
Originally meant for:
information retrieval and general activities such as email, calendar, contacts, and so on.
become highly popular among users with their markets having exploded to include some other categories such as social
media, games, GPS and location-based services, ticket purchases, banking, and even health.
Mobile Computing
Users with portable computers still have network connections while they move
a researcher at the now famous Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) has a vision for a portable computer.
called it the Dynabook
never got past sketches and a cardboard model. At the time, Xerox was unwilling to commission funding for his idea and it
remained undeveloped until the late 1970’s
1981:
the world’s first consumer laptop
- The Osborne Computer Corporation releases The Osborne 1.
- While revolutionary, its main limitation was a small 5” screen (only displaying 52 characters per line of text).
- It sold for $1,795; it also came with about $1,500 of free software:
- CP/M System, CP/M Utility, SuperCalc spreadsheet application, WordStar word processing application with MailMerge, Microsoft
MBASIC programming language and Digital Research CBASIC programming language.
- Manufacturers make the switch from Plasma screens to LCD to save battery. This is considered one of the most important
evolutions for the laptop.
1982:
HX-20
- Epson starts selling its HX-20
- portable computer with a small 120 x 32 resolution monochrome LCD screen.
- This was powered by rechargeable batteries, had a full-sized keyboard and a built-in dot matrix printer.
- Some consider this the true first laptop because the Osborne 1 ran out of battery too quickly to be considered useful for mobile
computing.
1983:
Kyocera Kyotronic
is considered by some the most used and useful of the early laptops
had a larger eight line, 40-character-wide LCD screen, featured several basic built-in applications and ran on AA batteries
sold extremely well and was used widely by every occupation.
Commodore SX-64
Mid 1980’s
Color STN (Super Twisted Nematic) and DSTN (Dual Scan Super Twist Nematic) screens bring color to mainstream laptop
development.
1989:
The Apple Macintosh portable
one of the first to feature an active matrix 640 x 400 screen, which eradicated the blurring that most other portable computer
screens were known to have.
This is Apple’s first contribution to the mobile computing movement.
GriDPad
, commonly thought of as the first tablet computing device. The operating system was MS-DOS.
1990:
Intel announces its 20MHz 386SL processor
- The first CPU to be designed specifically with mobile computing in mind
- featuring power management features and sleep modes to conserve battery life
- AMD, Intel’s big rival in the processor market at the time, didn’t seem bothered (although they didn’t produce a mobile-specific
processor until 1999).
- Despite the continuing availability of mobile-specific equivalents from Intel, many manufacturers still opted to squeeze the
cheaper, non-mobile products from AMD into their laptops.
1992:
Windows 3.1
1993:
PDA (personal digital assistant)
1994:
1996:
PalmPilot 1000
made by Toshiba
about the size of a VHS tape
had a virtually unusable keyboard
was a full-blown notebook in miniature, complete with hard drive, TFT screen and the ability to run Windows 95.
British company called Psion makes the Series 5 organiser, a handheld device that boasted a well-engineered keyboard.
Late 1990s:
Laptops continue to become streamlined, and address issues of battery life, screen clarity, memory, processor speed, and
weight. They gradually become thinner and more streamlined, growing cheaper in the process, selling for about $1,500.
2000:
Pocket PC
Microsoft unveils a new handheld OS, which sparks the beginning of the Pocket PC era
is a specification for a handheld-sized computer or personal digital assistant (PDA), which runs the Microsoft ‘Windows Mobile
Classic’ operating system.
has some of the capabilities of a desktop PC.
Many models exploded on the market, including models from Casio, Compaq, and HP, among others.
Microsoft introduces a prototype for a tablet PC, promising it would come to market within the next 2 years.
2002: Microsoft keeps its promise and develops the Microsoft Tablet PC.
Research in Motion introduces its first BlackBerry smartphone. This launches the rise of smartphones, and the BlackBerry
enterprise.
2006:
Qosmio
by Toshiba
boasted the first HD DVD player in a computer
HD DVD lost the second format wars with bluray. The first format war was betwen Betamax and VHS.
Palm develops and releases the Treo, with 32MB of RAM and 144MHz of processing power.
2007:
Apple launches its first iPhone, which integrated a touchscreen display with the best Web-browsing experience to yet be
offered on a mobile device.
Google unveils Android.
2009:
Droid
Introduced by Motorola
the first Android-based smartphone.
It sold over 1 million units within 74 days of its release.
2010:
iPad
launched by Apple
a line of tablets designed, developed and marketed primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals,
movies, music, games, and web content.
Galaxy Tab
released by Samsung
an Android-based tablet to compete with the Apple iPad.
The main idea of the Mobile Computer came from the 1990s. It has evolved from a two-way radio to modern communications.
2011-2014
Rise of Mobile Operating Systems: Android and iOS became dominant platforms, with continuous updates improving
usability, security, and app ecosystems. Windows Phone also made an appearance but struggled to gain significant market
share.
App Ecosystem Growth: The mobile app ecosystem exploded, with millions of apps available for everything from productivity
to entertainment.
4G LTE Rollout: The global rollout of 4G LTE networks provided faster internet speeds, enabling smoother streaming, gaming,
and real-time communication.
Smartphone Innovation: Devices like the iPhone 4S introduced features like Siri, the first widely used virtual assistant, while
Samsung's Galaxy S series pushed boundaries with larger screens and more powerful processors.
2015-2017
Mobile Payments: Services like Apple Pay, Google Wallet (later Google Pay), and Samsung Pay popularized mobile payments,
making smartphones a key tool for financial transactions.
Wearable Integration: Smartwatches and fitness trackers, such as the Apple Watch and Fitbit, became popular, tightly
integrating with smartphones to expand mobile computing to health and fitness.
Edge-to-Edge Displays: Phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and iPhone X featured edge-to-edge displays, maximizing
screen real estate and leading to the removal of physical home buttons.
AI and Machine Learning: The introduction of more advanced AI, such as Google Assistant and enhanced versions of Siri,
improved the functionality and personalization of mobile devices.
2018-2020
5G Deployment: The gradual rollout of 5G networks promised faster data speeds, lower latency, and greater connectivity,
enabling new applications in AR/VR, IoT, and smart cities.
Foldable Phones: Companies like Samsung and Huawei introduced foldable smartphones, offering larger, flexible screens that
combine the portability of a phone with the functionality of a tablet.
Privacy and Security Enhancements: Growing concerns over data privacy led to advancements in mobile security, including
biometric authentication (face recognition, in-display fingerprint sensors) and encrypted messaging.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): With AR and VR gaining traction, mobile devices began to support more
immersive experiences, with apps and games leveraging these technologies.
2021-2024
AI-Powered Cameras: Smartphone cameras saw significant improvements, with AI-driven features such as computational
photography, enhanced night mode, and real-time scene optimization.
Sustainability and Right-to-Repair: Growing environmental awareness led to a push for more sustainable mobile devices,
including modular designs, longer software support, and right-to-repair legislation.
Advancements in Mobile AI: On-device AI became more powerful, enabling features like live language translation, real-time
voice recognition, and intelligent battery management.
Development Environments
Most platforms provide a Software Development Kit (SDK) that you can download and build against.
Every platform has an emulator or simulator that you can use to test your apps.
Most emulators are configurable to match a variety of mobile devices, including various screen sizes, memory limitations, and
hardware specifications.
Android Studio: Official IDE for Android development, supporting Kotlin, Java, and C++.
Xcode: Apple's official IDE for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS development, supporting Swift and Objective-C.
Visual Studio with Xamarin: A versatile IDE supporting cross-platform mobile development in C# for Android, iOS, and
Windows.
Flutter with Visual Studio Code: Popular for cross-platform development using the Dart language, allowing for native app
creation on Android and iOS.
React Native with Visual Studio Code: A framework for building cross-platform mobile apps using JavaScript and React,
supported by the flexible Visual Studio Code editor.
IntelliJ IDEA: A powerful IDE supporting various languages and platforms, with strong Android development capabilities.
TOP TRENDS IN MOBILE COMPUTING
1. TAILOR – MADE EXPERIENCES
2. GLOBALIZATION
Operating in global, connected marketplace, your potential users are no longer tied to your part of the world.
Businesses globally are focusing on creating apps that support multiple languages and multiple cultural traits that enhance
user experience
Competition is increasing among native applications and still hybrid applications are moving at slow pace. But what remains
very crucial is to select your target audience.
understanding the new trends, it is important to cater to the niche audience. The selection of your segment is all game!
Explore new markets and try to penetrate in that market by narrowing down the age group, gender and other such aspects.
Create innovative apps for niche applications that will give back more returns on effort.
includes mobile device, mobile operating system, wireless network, mobile app, and app platform.
A mobile device has a mobile operating system and can run various types of apps.
Mobile Features
Most mobile devices can also be equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities, and they can
connect to the Internet, other Bluetooth-capable device and the satellite navigation system. Meanwhile, a mobile device can be
equipped with some human - computer interaction capabilities, such as camera, microphone, audio systems, and some sensors.
1. Cellular Network
Each mobile device uses a different set of frequencies from neighboring ones
means a mobile device must connect to the base station before it accesses to the Internet
Similarly, when a mobile device using a cellular network wants to connect another mobile device, it must connect to
some base stations before it communicates with the target device via the base stations.
2. Wi-Fi
mobile app
a program designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers, and other mobile devices.
emerged in 2008 and are operated by the owner of the mobile operating systems.
the most popular digital distribution platforms for mobile apps are App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Store, and
BlackBerry App World.
developed by Apple Inc., Google, Microsoft, and BlackBerry Ltd., respectively, and provide different apps, which only can be
used on their own operating systems.
MOBILE INTERFACE AND APPLICATIONS
Note:
Mobile devices, to some extent, are much more powerful than desktops. They are highly personal, always on, always with users,
usually connected, and directly addressable. Furthermore, they are crawling with powerful sensors with various functions that
detect location, acceleration, orientation, movement, proximity, and surrounding conditions. The portability of mobile devices
combined with powerful sensors makes mobile interface extremely valuable for using mobile devices.
the look and feel of the on-screen system, including how it works, its color scheme, and how it responds to users’ operation.
include not only users’ active operations, but also the passive ones.
Users’ passive operations
include users’ locations, movements, and other information that does not need users’ active operations.
These constraints are interrelated and mutually restrict to each other. Suppose in an extreme situation, someone keeps his/her
mobile device off.
In this situation, the battery life can last an almost unlimited time without considering the self-discharge of the battery.
The performance is related to the networking speed while constrained by the energy and resource. To solve this problem,
many researchers proposed various optimization algorithms and frameworks.
MOBILE CLOUD
Mobile cloud computing, is the combination of cloud computing, mobile computing, and wireless networks to bring rich
computational resources to the mobile system
a mobile device with limited resources can utilize computational resources of various cloud resources to enhance the
computational ability of itself.
There are several challenges in mobile cloud computing, such as moving computational processes from mobile devices to the
cloud, networking latency, context processing, energy management, security, and privacy.
GSM EDGE
expected to continue leading regarding subscription, due to many users opting for less expensive mobile handsets and mobile
phone subscriptions.
Note
The advent of portable computers and laptops, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), PC tablets and smartphones, has in turn made
mobile computing very convenient.
The portability of these devices ensure and enable the users to access all services as if they were in the internal network of
their company.
For example, the use of Tablet PC and iPads. This new technology enables the users to update documents, surf the internet,
send and receive e-mail, stream live video files, take photographs and also support video and voice conferencing.
different manufacturers of cellular phones have come up with unique smartphones that are capable of performing the
same task as computers and at the same processing speed.
the manufacturers of Apple's iPhone OS, Google's Android' Microsoft Windows Mobile, Research In Motion's Blackberry
OS, are constantly competing to offer better products with each release.
Advantages
Location Flexibility
has enabled users to work from anywhere as long as there is a connection established. A user can work without being in a fixed
position. Their mobility ensures that they are able to carry out numerous tasks at the same time and perform their stated jobs.
Saves Time
The time consumed or wasted while travelling from different locations or to the office and back, has been slashed. One can now
access all the important documents and files over a secure channel or portal and work as if they were on their computer. It has
enhanced telecommuting in many companies. It has
Enhanced Productivity
Users can work efficiently and effectively from whichever location they find comfortable. This in turn enhances their productivity
level.
Ease of Research
Research has been made easier, since users earlier were required to go to the field and search for facts and feed them back into
the system. It has also made it easier for field officers and researchers to collect and feed data from wherever they are without
making unnecessary trips to and from the office to the field.
Entertainment
Video and audio recordings can now be streamed on-the-go using mobile computing. It's easy to access a wide variety of
movies, educational and informative material. With the improvement and availability of high speed data connections at
considerable cost, one is able to get all the entertainment they want as they browse the internet for streamed data. One is able
to watch news, movies, and documentaries among other entertainment offers over the internet. This was not possible before
mobile computing dawned on the computing world.
Streamlining of Business Processes
Business processes are now easily available through secured connections. Looking into security issues, adequate measures
have been put in place to ensure authentication and authorization of the user accessing the services.
Some business functions can be run over secure links and sharing of information between business partners can also take
place.
Meetings, seminars and other informative services can be conducted using video and voice conferencing. Travel time and
expenditure is also considerably reduced.
Disadvantages
- The electromagnetic radiation will be high because of the heavy internet usage and might lead to health problems such as a
brain tumor and Skin Cancer.
- The HEV light emitted from the screen of a smartphone leads to severe eye-strain during long-time use and would slowly
damage the retina.
- Even many psychological issues such as loneliness, being suspicious all the time, feeling self-centered etc. are caused by
using a smartphone and being online, for most of the time.
- Spending most of the time on your phone creates neck problems and sleep deprivation.
Exposure to unwanted things on the internet affects a child’s growth mentally and even physically.
- As too much of anything is good for nothing, depending on a smartphone for everything makes you addicted.
- Being online for most of the time keeps you away from having real experiences and having real friends, to share your mind.
- Having checked all the time for online security, you start losing trust in people around you.
- Forwarding the messages and sharing the videos online regarding humanity, one might forget the real meaning behind it.
- With all these things around, the family life gets affected.
- Few of them get really addicted that they text or watch videos while on roads and talk on the phone while driving, which
causes serious trouble as being busy makes you react slow.
- Chances of losing money due to fraudulence on the internet.
- Usage of Apps by not having complete awareness might lead to the leakage of personal information, which could be really
dangerous.
- With every emerging new model, there come new features which are really tempting to use and you may get into the crazy
whirlpool of going for new models always.