Are Smartphones Next-Gen PCS?

Smartphones are taking over the tech world. Over some years, smartphones have proven there immense capability to perform multiple tasks and fast processer speed in market. No doubt, smartphones have become as powerful as desktops or laptops. So the question is will your smartphone make a suitable replacement for your laptop or desktop? It might be little awkward to hear but seeing the advancement and miniaturisation of tech, it is not a distant dream.

The smartphone’s biggest weakness as a laptop-replacement is its small display. Even the gigantic phones with 5 inch display are not even close to laptop standard. But to tackle this problem, there is a concept designed specially to counter the limited screen size problem–the pico projectors-equipped handset. A handset which could project a virtual keyboard on a tabletop, as well as a high-resolution image on a nearby wall would solve the two ergonomic problems–small keyboards and screens. Smartphones with projectors are reportedly under development at Apple and elsewhere.

Another emerging advancement that could make laptop obsolete is the voice recognition function. Apple’s Siri voice control and Google Voice are the best examples we have in present. Thanks to their efforts, voice recognition has finally reached the stage where it can replace keyboard input. It is only the beginning as the ever increasing processing power of mobile CPU and advanced mobile chips will pave the way for its development.

Smartphones also have a plus point over laptops when it comes to portability. Smartphones being slim and light weighted, are easy to carry than laptops. Laptops have dominated the tech industry over a decade, but there large size and bulkiness has been a matter of concern. An average laptop weighs around 6 pound which is a ponderous burden to carry especially when you are on a trip. Laptops were primarily designed to check emails, edit and create documents, for internet usage and to store data. Now, all these features are included in your smartphones. And plus you don’t have to carry extra weight as it can easily fit in your pocket.

A little less than two years ago, Motorola executive Sanjay Jha, who’s now CEO of Motorola Mobility, predicted that smartphones will replace PC’s in many enterprises within a few years. It’s too early to say whether Jha’s timing is spot-on, but technologies are emerging that bridge the gap between phone and PC.

Smartphones have already become more popular than PCs. According to a research by Canalys shows that global smartphones shipments topped other computing devices including laptops, desktop, netbook and tablets for the first. This shows how smartphone could be dominant or might be a sole computing platform. Smartphones, with their slim-and-light, pocket-friendly dimensions, are better suited in the long run to replacing the personal computer as we know it.

By Rohan Pal