Brian Bacho

Cell Phone Software and Features

Introduction
From 1983 to present, cell phone design has evolved simultaneously with technology. With every new innovation, cell phone technology has implemented each new feature into the next cell phone. The cell phone has changed from its basic function of mobile calling to features such as web browsing, video calling, and voice recognition. What dictates these features are the operating systems and software that run inside the phone. Motorola, Nokia, and Ericsson are some of the earliest pioneers in creating mobile telephones. Apple, Samsung, Blackberry, and HTC have continued the legacy to create some of the most advanced smart phones to date. Apple, Samsung, RIM (Research-in-Motion), and HTC cell phones operate on the iOS, Android, Blackberry OS, and Windows Mobile Systems. Within each manufacturer, the cell phone technology has advanced at their own pace. Nokia, RIM, and Apple have led mobile technology in their respective decades of the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.

Nokia
In 1987, Nokia introduced the first handheld mobile phone for wireless networks which sole purpose was to make calls wirelessly. 4 years later, Nokia constructed the worlds first GSM phone, the Nokia 1011which implemented high quality voice calls, international roaming, and text messages (The Nokia Story). With the amount of success, Nokia made a crucial decision to focus on mobile phones and telecommunications. In the later 90s, the Nokia 2100 series and 6100 series phones included custom ringtones and introduced the game Snake (See Figure 1). At the start of 2000, Nokia launched its 7110

and 6650 series phones, which came with mobile web, built in camera and video, and downloadable music.

Research in Motion
Once Internet became standard on all phones, companies ventured ways to implement wireless mobile networks. Research-In-Motion relied heavily on the business applications that can be applied to their flagship PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), the Blackberry. The BlackBerry 5810 released in 2000 was the first model with phone capabilities but required a handset (A Decade of BlackBerrys). (See Figure 2) The J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) based OS had the ability to sync 10 different email accounts, web browser, set tasks and to-do lists, visible calendar reminders, alarms, and calendar. Throughout the 2000s, Research-in-Motion provided new sleeker designs and a new updated Blackberry OS 1 with better camera quality, Wi-Fi capabilities, and applications. With Apple and Samsung releasing touch screen smart phones with even more features in the late 2000s, RIM attempted to develop their own touch screen Blackberry. It was not until the Blackberry OS 6 where the touch screen was utilized on the Blackberry Storm in 2008(The Evolution of BlackBerry in Pictures). The BB OS 6 provided a better user interface, universal search capabilities, improved browser and multimedia experience with the Blackberry App World. The Storm still lagged behind Android and Apple iOS operating systems as the user interface was clunky and sluggish in response and the App World did not compete with either the Androids Google Play Store or Apples App Store.

Android
With the recent release of the Samsung Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5, Googles Android and Apples iOS operating systems have been regarded as some of the most advanced software to date. Android powers devices from some of the best handset and tablet manufacturers in the world, like Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Sony, Asus and more (Android). Google uses sweets and pastry-themed titles for their new software updates. Googles operating systems in chronological order are: Android 1.0, Android 1.5(Cupcake), Android 1.6 (Donut), Android 2.0 (clair), Android 2.2 (Froyo), Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and currently Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) (Manish). (See Figure 3) In each update, Google fixes minor bugs, improves current applications, and speeds up software functions. Google provides software improvements to multimedia (music, ringtones, photos, and videos), voice recognition, text input, GPS or Bluetooth connectivity, camera effects, wireless tethering, social media connections (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram), and Googles Android Market. Android Software allows users to fully customize home screens with different themes, several widgets (application shortcuts), folders, and applications.

Apple
When the first iPhone released in 2007 Apple received praise due to the userfriendly software. With basic apps evenly organized on the home screen, users can locate and use its features with ease. Similar to any smart phone iPhone kept the standards of web browsing, emails, camera and video, and high quality phone connectivity. From iPhone 3g to iPhone 5, Apple used their iPhone Firmware 1.0 to 3.0 for their first phone

and was then followed by iOS 3.1, 4.0, 5.0, and 6 in the latest releases. The early firmware updates provided improved reception, international keyboard, longer battery life, and smoother processor performance (Costello). The later updates built on these features with more responsive touchscreen, stronger wireless connection, detail-specific voice recognition assistant (Siri), and an extensive App Store.

Applications
With over thousands of applications on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, applications maximize a smart phones potential. Apple and Google use selfdeveloped apps along with third-party developers to design applications that have very useful features. Applications can share knowledge to users around the world with a simple touch to the phone. The App Store classifies them in several useful categories; Business, Education, Entertainment, Family, Finance, Food and Drink, Games, Health and Fitness, Music, News, Photo and Video, Social Networking, Sports, and Travel (Apple). Features that range from mobile banking to Netflix, Angry Birds to ESPN, video calling to movie reviews, smart phones have endless possibilities.

Conclusion
Technology today has proved to be some of the most advanced in years. Communication worldwide is possible with the ease of a smart phone. In each software update, smart phone users see less drastic modification and begin to expect more in the impending update. With public aspirations so elevated, developers main goal is to top their pre-existing accomplishments This gives rise to the difficulty of how the next smart phones such as the Galaxy S IV (See Figure 4) and the iPhone 6 can surpass their

predecessors without repeating history. The operating systems remain accountable for the performance and ability of future smart phones.

Figures

Figure 1: Snake (The Nokia Story)

Figure 2: Blackberry 8510 (Decade of BlackBerrys)

Figure 3: Android Operating Systems (Manish)

Figure 4: Samsung Galaxy S IV (PCtablet.com)

Works Cited "Android." Discover Android. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://www.android.com/about/>. Beavis, Gareth. "A Complete History of Android." TechRadar. N.p., 23 Sept. 2008. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. <http://www.techradar.com/us/news/phone-andcommunications/mobile-phones/a-complete-history-of-android-470327>. Costello, Sam. "IPhone Firmware & IOS History." About.com IPhone / IPod. N.p., 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. <http://ipod.about.com/od/iphonesoftwareterms/a/firmw_history.htm>. "A Decade of BlackBerrys." CNET. N.p., 22 Jan. 2012. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cnet.com/2300-17918_1-10008904-14.html>. "The Evolution of BlackBerry in Pictures." CrackBerry.com. N.p., 1 Oct. 2007. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://crackberry.com/evolution-blackberry-pictures>. "The Evolution of Cell Phone Design Between 1983-2009." Web Design Blog. N.p., 22 May 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/theevolution-of-cell-phone-design-between-1983-2009/>. Manish Yadav. "History of Android." Tech2Crack. N.p., 30 Dec. 2011. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. <http://www.tech2crack.com/history-android/>. "The Nokia Story." Nokia. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nokia.com/global/about-nokia/about-us/story/the-nokia-story/>. "Read All about the Amazing IOS." Apple - IPhone 5. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. <http://www.apple.com/iphone/ios/>.