It has only been recently that people have been able to read and write on the Web with their mobile devices. The evolution to where phones are now smart, mobile and ubiquitous has been a train long in transit. The infographic below from Product Development Technologies shows that evolution through major product lines and pop culture. Before the advent of the smartphone, what did you think was the coolest mobile innovation of the last 40 years?
Personally, I was partial to the Motorola Dynatac 8000X. I never owned one, but I was a big fan of Saved By The Bell and Zack Morris. Those of an earlier generation may have been partial to the Get Smart shoe phone, which, admittedly, still seems like a cool idea. Before smartphones started to become ever larger devices, Ben Stiller in Zoolander lampooned the popularity of the shrinking smartphone.
It is interesting to see how phones went from big, clunky devices (Martin Cooper’s original mobile phone) to sleek and thin voice machines (the Motorola Razr) and then again to large form factors (the HTC Evo, for instance). It is likely that we will see this trend play out within the smartphone era itself. The evolution within the last several years is clear. Lay an original iPhone next to an iPhone 4 and note the differences.
Check out the infographic below, pick out your favorite evolution and let us know why you liked it in the comments.
Lead Image: Smartphones (Samsung BlackJack, BlackBerry Bold 9000, Samsung Galaxy Captivate) taken with a Motorola Atrix.
