If you are wondering what smartphone to purchase or upgrade, it would be a wise decision to postpone the purchase by a few weeks. Two of the most awaited smartphones, the Apple iPhone 5 and the Microsoft Windows 8 smartphone, are getting ready to retail and this could well define future choices, not just of handsets but also ecosystems to choose from.
For Apple, the launch of iPhone 5, widely rumoured to be slated for September 12, will provide an opportunity to showcase its passion for innovation. Sure, there will be plenty of digs that will be made at Samsung. But the fact is also that for the first time since it launched the very first iPhone, Apple will actually be doing some catching up in the smartphone segment. Android-based phones have overtaken the iPhone in terms of screen size, ease of use and even in practical applications.
Larger display size
One of the definite improvements expected in the iPhone 5 is in its display size. While most flagship Android phones from manufacturers such as Samsung, HTC and Sony measure 4.7 or 4.8 inches diagonally, the iPhone 4S has a relatively smaller display of 3.5 inches. Though the smaller phone is handy, most users have embraced the phones of displays larger than 4 inches as it makes it convenient to watch videos and edit photos and text. The iPhone 5 is most likely to have a screen size larger than 4 inches.
The iPhone 5 is also likely to join the bandwagon of smart-phones with multi-core processors. The Android universe has already seen a few phone sporting quad-core processors with speeds in excess of 1.5 Ghz and additional graphic processors that can power up complex applications. The quad-core processor was expected of the iPhone 4S, but what Apple did was just spruce its line-up with a dual-core processor but with enhanced graphic capabilities.
Another talking point about the iPhone 5 is whether it will feature a NFC (near-field communications) chip or whether Apple is developing its patented technology on similar lines that would facilitate file transfers and banking transactions.
Mobile banking
The coming generation of smartphones is going to be ushered into an era where mobile money transactions are set to grow manifold. Top financial institutions are building robust mobile gateways and applications to facilitate mobile transactions and smartphones with NFC chips could replace credit cards faster than we realise.
With Windows 8, Microsoft looks to break into the mobile computing space, something it has hitherto not been able to. The segment is currently dominated by the likes of Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. Even though RIM’s Blackberry seems to be doing fine in India, promoting its handsets and services heavily, the company is facing some challenges internationally. Sometimes it becomes important to follow up on the bigger picture, as these have profound implications on the Applications ecosystem of each mobile OS.
How Microsoft Windows 8 plays in the smartphone segment could potentially make or break the company, just as it could also lead to a viable option for consumers. Samsung previewed its first Windows 8 smartphone at a consumer electronics fair in Berlin last week. Code-named Ativ S, the phone according to the official Windows Blog is “the first of many amazing Windows Phone 8 devices” coming out this year.
Samsung Ativ S sports features that compete with the flagship devices of other mobile operating systems: it sports a 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display made from Corning Gorilla Glass 2, has a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, has 1GB of onboard RAM, and an 8MP autofocus rear camera and a 1.9MP front-facing camera. It comes with 16GB and 32GB internal storage capacities.
