This year has already begun, and smartphone manufacturers are expected to be involved again as they battle to implement new features and trends.
2019 gave us 5G, foldable devices, pop-ups, punch holes, multiple cameras, and in-display fingerprints, amongst other things. This year, though, there may be a slight shift in how things are implemented.
Here, we take a look at what to expect in the Global platform when it comes to mobile technology.
Here are the Expected Smartphone Features and Trends for 2020
5G becomes fully adopted
Last year, 5G was a hot topic; Samsung sold over 2 million 5 G-enabled smartphones. This year, though, the chips are expected to be more power-efficient; hence, the network will become fully adopted.
As more 5 G-enabled smartphones come mainstream, those of us in Nigeria can also hope to get a glimpse of it before the year runs out, as MTN conducted a successful trial in the country last year.
See? 5G will become fully adopted. 5G allows the lightning-fast download of large files, AR experiences, seamless live streaming, video calls, etc. Xiaomi will launch over 10 5G devices this year.
Hundreds of Megapixels and Zoom Lenses
Smartphone manufacturers like Huawei and Oppo played around with devices that had over 48 MP cameras and telephoto lenses for photography last year. Nothing stops them from increasing it to over 100 and 200 megapixels this year.
With the availability of the Snapdragon 865 chipset, which supports a 200-megapixel capacity, even Xiaomi is hoping to beat the 108-megapixel camera in the Mi CC9 Po smartphone.
Optical zoom was also a subject of interest last year, with some smartphones donning two zoom lenses. This year, an overzealous OEM may release a smartphone with three zoom lenses.
Under display Camera
Well, the usual suspect, Oppo, has to be here. Oppo, alongside Vivo, pioneered the Under-display (in-display)everything revolution.
From In-display fingerprints to pop-up cameras, the company has released prototypes for the under-display camera. The prototype released last month was a smartphone with no buttons or ports.
Xiaomi is also in the race to release an under-display camera smartphone. While the notch has been widely reduced, and punch-hole cameras are now replacing it, it is clear that not many fans like either of those features.
The Year of Foldable Devices
Foldable devices had a tough year in 2019 due to delays and problems with panels, designs, etc. This year will finally be the year that foldable gadgets become popular among top-end phone users.
Also, the foldable Motorola Razr smartphone seems to be very popular. The phone uses the clamshell flip design, something most of us have used from the early days of Samsung, Thuraya, and Sagem.
Higher Refreshing Rates
Gaming smartphones were the only ones with a higher refresh rate, up to 90Hz and 120Hz, until more mainstream phones copied this feature.
This year, we may see a rise in the 240Hz refresh rate and probably the end of the 60Hz refresh rate of smartphones. A high refresh rate could also help improve the detail or responsiveness of AR graphics. (Hello Infinix and Tecno, I hope you will at least introduce a smartphone with a 90Hz refresh rate to Nigeria)
More Charging Speed
One reason people clamor for a higher battery rating is the slow charging speed. Samsung, Oppo, and Xiaomi have all decided to tackle this by releasing different charging technologies with record speeds.
We have the Samsung 100W wired charging chips and the Xiaomi Mi turbo 30W wireless charging chips. More companies will hope to surpass these limits this year, and hopefully, soon enough, we will have 0-100% power in 60 seconds.
More Expensive Smartphones
Well, higher camera specs, 5G, fast charge, and in-display features that rely on an AMOLED screen come at a cost.
Which of these features will you be excited to see this year? Let us know. Also, if you feel we missed out on any feature or trend, please let us know by using the comment section.
