Smartphones will become as cheap as basic ‘feature’ phones within the next 12 months, according to Google Chairman Eric Schmidt.
Mr Schmidt made the prediction during today’s keynote address at Mobile World Congress, which is taking place in Barcelona all this week.
The influential businessman suggested that it was only a matter of time before more powerful devices running his company’s Android operating system were as affordable as entry-level phones that offer considerably less functionality.
During his hour-long address Mr Schmidt spoke also about the so-called ‘digital divide’, where areas and entire countries lack the kind of connectivity that others take for granted.
In addition he gave his thoughts on potential developments in the future, suggesting that holographic video and driverless cars have the potential to be more than science fiction.
Despite Apple not having a presence at Mobile World Congress it did manage to upstage Mr Schmidt’s talk, however, with the company announcing a 7 March press event just as the Google chief took to the stage.
It is widely expected that Apple’s event will see the unveiling of the next iPad, a product that has become a huge seller for the company since its first version launched in 2010.
Elsewhere at conference today the focus was very much around software, as companies strive to offer customers complete solutions that go beyond simply powerful devices.
Manufacturers such as Nokia and Samsung have both been pushing their unique applications, which they see as a vital way of differentiating their products from others’.
To this end Samsung has done deals with companies like Adobe to bring touch-based versions of its PhotoShop software to the new Note tablet range, while Nokia unveiled a reader and public transport application for its Lumia devices.
Meanwhile companies like eBay are showing how they are using mobile software to try to change the way people shop, both online and in the real world.
In recent years the company has spent a significant sum of money acquiring smaller enterprises, with many of those companies’ features now being used to compliment existing subsidiaries like PayPal.
“I think customers are extremely comfortable with transacting on their mobile phones,” said Hill Ferguson, head of product management of PayPal Mobile.
“I think they’re not really seeing much of a difference between being at a computer on their desk and being on their phone… We’ve had people pay $40,000 for a bulldozer using PayPal Mobile.”
Mr Ferguson said he wanted to see consumers being given the option to pay via their mobile when shopping in real-world shops, not just when they are punching online.
Source:http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0228/mwc.html
