Mobile Phone

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What is a Mobile Phone?

A mobile phone is a wireless handheld communication device that allows users to make and receive calls. Depending on the phone’s form factor and features, a mobile phone may also be referred to as a cellular phone (cell phone) or smartphone.

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What is a Mobile Phone?

Key Takeaways

  • First generation of mobile phones (1G) used analog technology to make and receive calls.
  • Second generation (2G) mobile phones were digital and used cellular networks to make and receive calls.
  • Third generation (3G) mobile phones had two connection options – cellular or Wi-Fi.
  • Fourth generation (4G) mobile phones had dramatically faster data transmission speeds and made smartphones possible.
  • Fifth generation (5G) mobile phones have even faster transmission speeds and lower latency.

What is a Mobile Phone Used For?

A mobile phone is a communication device. Depending on the type of mobile phone and its form factor, end users can use their phone to make or receive voice or video calls, send or receive text messages, take and share photos, record and share videos, conduct financial transactions, take advantage of GPS location services, and communicate with others over the Internet through a web browser or Internet-enabled mobile apps.

History of Mobile Phone 

The first mobile phones could only be used to make and receive calls. They were typically carried in bags or briefcases, or installed in vehicles and were so heavy they were often referred to as brick phones.

The question of who invented mobile phones is often debated, but Martin Cooper is widely credited with developing the first handheld cellular phone. Later, mobile phones belonging to the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network could send and receive SMS text messages.

As these mobile phones evolved, they became smaller and more features were added, such as multimedia messaging service (MMS), which allowed users to send and receive images. Most of these MMS-capable devices were also equipped with digital cameras that allowed users to capture photos, add captions, and send them to friends and relatives who also had MMS-capable phones.

Along with the texting and camera features, cell phones started to be made with a limited capability to access the Internet through “data services.” The earliest mobile browsers were proprietary and only allowed for the use of a small subsection of the Internet to access content like weather, news, and sports updates.

The History of Mobile Phone Technology

How Mobile Phones Work

Mobile phones are full duplex (FDx) devices, which means they use one radio frequency for talking and another frequency for listening. When someone speaks, their voice is picked up by their phone’s microphone, and the analog electrical signals are turned into a digital signal that’s composed of 0s and 1s.

An antenna inside the phone transmits the 0s and 1s as electromagnetic waves, which travel through the air to reach a cell tower. The cell tower converts the electromagnetic waves back into a digital signal which is then sent to a central switching center.

If the call is going to another mobile phone, the signal will be routed to a cell tower near the receiving phone. If the call is going to a landline phone, the signal will be routed to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). At the receiving end, the digital signal is converted back into analog sound waves.

Mobile phones primarily rely on cellular networks and cell sites scattered throughout cities, rural areas, and mountainous regions. If a user is in a location where they can’t connect to a cell site from their provider’s network, they won’t be able to place or receive calls in that location unless other options, such as roaming or Wi-Fi calling, are available.

Most smartphones can seamlessly integrate VoIP for certain services while still offering traditional cellular calling.

Mobile Phone Operating Systems

On the device side, as companies continue to produce newer smartphones, two major operating systems have emerged. Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems are installed in the lion’s share of new smartphones by various manufacturers.

With both of these mobile operating system platforms, it has become routine for engineers to build hundreds of different types of functionalities into smartphones through the design of mobile applications. App store facilitate the purchase and use of these diverse applications.

Types of Mobile Phones

Today’s mobile phone landscape is incredibly diverse, with a wide array of options that meet different needs. Phones can be categorized by their brand, operating system, form factor, or specialized feature.

Mobile Phone vs. Cell Phone & Satellite Phone

In everyday conversation, the terms mobile phone and cell phone are often used as synonyms. Mobile phone is used more often in British English, while cell phone is the preferred term in American English.

Technically, however, cell phones rely on cellular networks, while mobile phones can also use Wi-Fi or satellite networks for communication.

Mobile PhoneCell PhoneSatellite Phone

Terminology:

Umbrella term that covers any type of portable, wireless communication device that allows users to make and receive calls.

Network dependency:

Can operate on cellular, Wi-Fi, or satellite networks, depending on the type of device.

Terminology:

Can refer to any type of mobile phone that relies on cellular networks for primary communication functions.

Network dependency:

Relies exclusively on cellular networks for service.

Terminology:

A type of mobile phone that uses satellite networks for communication. Some satellite phone models have smartphone features.

Network dependency:

Relies exclusively on satellite networks for service.

10 Main Uses of Mobile Phone

The main uses of mobile phones have expanded significantly over time with the rise of smartphones.

Common uses today include:

  • Voice calls
  • Text messaging
  • Instant messaging
  • Video calls
  • Accessing websites, social media, and news
  • Sending and receiving emails
  • Online shopping
  • Downloading and using apps
  • Capturing, editing, and viewing photos and videos
  • Making contactless payments

Mobile Phone Pros and Cons

Mobile phones, especially smartphones, have become essential to daily life, but like any technology, they have advantages and disadvantages.

Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons.

Pros

  • Portable and wireless
  • Allow users to make calls in developing nations where landline infrastructure is limited or costly to maintain
  • Mobile phones that have Internet access can be used for two-factor authentication and as digital wallets

Cons

  • People can develop an unhealthy dependency on their mobile phones, which can lead to a physical and psychological condition called nomophobia
  • Excessive mobile phone use can interfere with in-person social interactions and communication
  • Collectively, mobile phones contribute to electronic waste and consume significant amounts of energy
  • Misinformation about mobile phone radiation

Mobile Phone Radiation

Mobile phones that communicate with cell towers emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no definitive link between mobile phone use and cancer or other adverse health conditions.

The Bottom Line

Early mobile phone definitions emphasized the ability to make and receive calls without being tethered to a physical landline connection. Today, the additional capabilities of smartphones requires a more comprehensive definition for mobile phones that reflects their evolution into all-in-one devices for voice, video, messaging, internet connectivity, and app-based services.

FAQs

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.