A quarter of a century ago, an ordinary telephone entered a new, completely unknown before step. From a simple means of communication for apartments and offices, he turned into an indispensable assistant, who is with the owner 24 hours a day. The slang expression “I am always online” has acquired a new meaning. Since November 23, 1992, when IBM introduced the first Simon mobile PDA concept, the rapid development of communicators began. After the advent of liquid crystal smart screens, the cell phone has turned into a full-fledged computer - a smartphone.
Smartphone - a modern personal microcomputer
What is a smartphone
For the first time, PDAs were called smartphones by marketers of the world-famous Swedish company Ericsson. For the first touchscreen phone, the R380s, in 2000 they came up with a new name that instantly took root and users liked. Other manufacturers quickly picked up a great idea. In the XXI century, a boom in the smartphone market began. This was fully facilitated by the discoveries of scientists and engineers. In each next sample, users found a new highlight. We can say about different smartphones that today they can do almost everything.
Ericsson R-380s - the first PDA with LCD screen
In mobile phones there is a set of functions that, according to their purpose, have not changed for many years:
- communication in various GSM standards;
- sending SMS and MMS messages;
- Internet access according to EDGE and GPRS standards;
- satellite navigation through the use of a GPS module;
- the ability to create a database of contacts.
Today, a smartphone can be called a handheld personal computer with a liquid crystal screen. The heart of the “smart phone” is the operating system - a set of software for controlling the functions of the phone and communication with external sources of various signals. A distinctive feature of modern smartphones of the latest generation is multitasking. To do this, they are equipped with special utility programs for various purposes - applications. In smartphones, thanks to the installation of chips with advanced operating systems, the control and navigation functions are taken to a whole new level.
The creators of smart phones have endowed them with the ability to perform almost all tasks at the level of personal computers of the latest generation - laptops, tablets, desktop PCs. As a matter of fact, engineers took the path of providing pocket mini-computers with the possibility of communication using communication systems, the Internet, email clients and satellite navigation. It is no coincidence that the English word “gadget” is firmly entrenched in smartphones. This "gizmo" will flawlessly perform any task that the user poses in front of it.
The smartphone is capable of performing several tasks simultaneously
When choosing a smartphone, the user promotes the platform
For the convenience of working with ratings of smart mobile phones, experts have developed a conditional distribution system for three categories - A, B and C. A particular smartphone manufacturer can be assigned to a certain category in accordance with the set of advantages and top technologies that it offers customers in their products:
- design;
- performance;
- autonomy;
- Ease of use;
- feature set.
Category A
This includes smartphones that are produced by the world's most famous companies - Samsung, Apple, Sony, LG, Microsoft (ex-Nokia).These companies have rich experience in developing high technology and a variety of software for smart mobile devices. A significant share of their profits is the export of technology to other suppliers. For example, most of the top smartphones from manufacturers from Southeast Asia today are equipped with screens from Samsung. Special in this group is the brainchild of Steve Jobs, Apple does not disclose the technology for the production of “apple gadgets”. However, the quality of smartphones is so high that in terms of sales, the brand is significantly ahead of the pursuers.
Category B
About ten years ago, the phrase "Chinese phone" meant that before the buyer - a fake tube from a branded manufacturer. Moreover, not the best quality. But in just a few years, the situation has changed in the exact opposite direction. Today, four brands of smartphones - Xiaomi, Huawei, Honor and OnePlus produce flagship and budget models that are either equal in design, performance and functionality, or ahead of analogs from category A firms. Only one indicator in the percentage ratio is slightly lower - reliability. Very close in terms of the amount of functionality are LeEco, ZTE, Meizu, Lenovo, HTC, Asus.
Rating of TOP companies producing smartphones
Category C
Smartphones that are released by companies classified in this category (Leagoo, Oukitel, Cubot, THL) usually enter the Russian market in roundabout ways. They are incomparably cheaper than their older brothers. The set of functionality, design and build quality correspond to the amount of investment in the development and production of funds. Independently, these companies produce a minimum number of components. Saving on the installation of top-end developments makes it possible to produce inexpensive smartphones in general of good quality.
Leagoo M5 - a product of one of the Chinese manufacturers
Battle of operating systems
Making a decision to buy a new phone poses one of the most difficult tasks for a buyer - choosing a brand. The set of top-end operating systems on the basis of which smartphone shells are created is limited to only three items:
- Android
- iOS
- Windows Phone
The market of operating systems for mobile devices
The creators of smartphone software are very tough competitors. In terms of total indicators (about 70% of the market), Android is significantly ahead of competitors. The developers offer customers an open source product that has a number of undoubted advantages:
- integration with Google services;
- multitasking;
- constant software updates.
Logo of the new Android Oreo 8.1 operating system
The disadvantages of Android include the relatively low autonomy of smartphones. With active surfing and viewing video content, not all of them have a battery charge that can withstand two days. Large time spent on games reduces this figure to 5-6 hours. Another drawback is compatibility issues. Information transferred from gadgets whose platforms are based on older software may not always be decrypted on newer models.
Up to 20% of mobile devices run on iOS software. Since the majority of them are Apple devices, it is not surprising that they have closed source code. The following facts can be safely attributed to the merits of “apple” products:
- reliability;
- excellent screen image quality;
- excellent synchronization of the software of the camera and camcorder with the processor. Photos taken on the iPhone are clearly beyond the competition in quality;
- sparing battery mode. The autonomy of most devices is at least one and a half days.
Disadvantages of the OS for Apple - the price is too high compared to competitors and a small number of free applications for working with documents.
iOS 12 - New Shell for Apple Gadgets
Microsoft’s smartphones, which bought a mobile device division from Nokia several years ago, run on Windows Phone software.A characteristic feature of the system is the breakdown of information into sections:
- Office
- Score;
- Music;
- Photo;
- Games;
- Contacts, and others.
The popularity of Microsoft smartphones in the market is not very high. Therefore, to fully appreciate the advantages of the devices is not an easy task.
Easily recognizable image worldwide - now on smartphones
Russia is no longer behind the entire planet
Despite the fact that the Russian market is 95% filled with gadgets of the most famous world manufacturers, Russian developers are also trying to gain valuable experience. Several brands are already quite well known in the Russian Federation:
- Yota Phone;
- Highscreen
- Irbis;
- teXet;
- ErmakOMP.
Yota Phone 3a - one of the first Russian-made smartphones
Not trying to compete with global brands, domestic manufacturers focus on individual characteristics of the software and the "filling" of gadgets. So, the company "Open Mobile Platform" at the request of government services released a specialized protected phone ErmakOMP for company executives and government employees. It has a high level of confidential information security.
The niche in which Russian smart products can compete with American and Chinese products is a navigation system. Manufacturers equip gadgets with either the domestic GLONASS global positioning system or a universal dual-system chip, where GPS is also present.
Russians compete with the “sharks” of the mobile market in terms of creating devices with a high degree of information security. One of the latest innovations is the Cruise-K smartphone from Rostec. It has a unique set of advantages:
- 100% encryption of information to avoid leaks;
- effective protection against wiretapping.
The unique development of the Rostec concern - the Cruise-K smartphone
In protection mode, the device is active only when communicating with exactly the same device. Any other exchange of information is automatically blocked. The simultaneous number of Cruise-K secure smartphones in the conference network can be up to 1000 units. The price of such an apparatus will be at least 120 thousand rubles. The production of a smartphone, the operating system of which is still classified, will be engaged in the state-owned concern "Automation".
Difficult choice
For those who decided to purchase a new smartphone, the selection of the name will not be difficult in only one case. If the coveted device is the iPhone, then the choice usually falls on a new brand. The company does not indulge in variety. Conclusion - iPhoneX. 71 000 rub. - and you are the owner:
- the most powerful processor A11 Bionic;
- 3 MB of RAM;
- wireless charging;
- Super Retina HD OLED screen with a contrast ratio of 1,000,000: 1;
- Unique camera with True Depth control technology.
An incomparably cheaper option is the Huawei P20 smartphone for 40,000 rubles. Highlights of the news from China:
- 12/20 megapixel dual camera with Leica lens;
- "Smart" processor Kirin970;
- “Home” shell of Huawei Emotion UI;
- 2244: 1080 LTPS display
Mi8: design - from Apple, engineering stuffing - from China
Fans of Xiaomi solutions can enjoy the magnificence of the work of Chinese engineers by purchasing the new flagship - Mi8. This year's flagship line is complemented by a device with a unique dual camera 12 megapixels, 1.4 microns Sony IMX363, f / 1.8 + 12 megapixels, 1 microns with a Samsung S5K3M3, f / 2.4 lens. Fans of photography will be pleased with the “artificial intelligence” mode and the four-axis OIS image stabilization system. 30 000 rubles - not a very big price for those who prefer the well-equipped Mi8 "apple" novelty. Moreover, the design of the phones is strikingly similar.
Another flagship is a contender for a place in the first row of new devices, Honor P10. Excellent IPS-matrix occupies 95% of the "territory" of the frameless screen. Like the Huawei P20, the Kirin970 neuroprocessor is responsible for the software. The dual 16/24 megapixel camera is equipped with functions for processing and retouching images, applying makeup and eliminating shooting defects. Price Honor P10 - 27 000 rubles.
