2007 – 2010
The LG Prada is the first touchscreen to market ahead of the Apple iPhone in May 2007. Swiping and scrolling replaced the traditional button method of input. However, Apple proved to have both the stronger brand and superior knowledge of capacitive touchscreen’s potential.
2011 – 2014
Smartphones became increasingly central to modern life, offering much more than just communication features. The UK’s first 4G service launched in 11 cities by EE in 2012 taking download speeds up to 12mbps. Voice recognition became commonplace first with Google Voice before Apple launched Siri into the market. Samsung added a built-in heart rate monitor to its flagship Galaxy S5 to capitalize on mobile health & fitness growth.
2015 – 2018
The global adoption of 4G vastly improves video streaming and video calling capabilities. Screen sizes continue to grow to maximize these features’ experience, with the iPhone 7 Plus display now 57% larger than the original iPhone from 2007. Mobile payments also emerge with Apple Pay and Android Pay, offering users the possibility of buying things with their smartphones.
Present Day
EE launches the UK’s first 5G service in 6 cities throughout May 2019. The fifth-generation network promises vastly superior data speeds and reliability, boosting ultra-high-resolution video streaming and mobile gaming. Handset design trends continue to push for an all-screen experience. OnePlus introduces the pop-up selfie camera to its flagship 7 Pro device to avoid the notch altogether.