The great thing about the mobile gadget market is that it is still all up for grabs. If 2007 was (eventually) the year of the iPhone, Apple’s finest has given the industry a vigorous-enough shaking that the only certainty for 2008 is that Nokia, Motorola & co will be falling over themselves trying to compete with it.
Here is my 2008 wish list.
1. A better iPhone.
Yes, well. It’s ok ,isn’t it? Impressive to look at, innovative, blah blah, etc. But we know that Apple can do better. iPhone 2.0 needs a better camera, some kind of text-entry system that doesn’t require the use of bizarre finger-condoms for high-speed texting and, above all, for Apple to unclench their buttocks and open the phone up to 3rd-party developers.
There is a wealth of programming talent out there that is already producing some amazing apps for hacked iPhones - it would be great if users could try them out without having to void their warranty and risk turning their phone into a plastic brick the next time Apple releases a firmware update.
2. More free wifi.
Web ‘n’ Walk is all very well, but even a fast 3G connection can making mobile browsing a frustrating experience, and VoIP needs a wifi link to be really usable.
A free wifi connection is a great loss-leader for cafes and pubs and even shopping malls could benefit from letting customers check out product reviews online while they wander from shop to shop. C’mon , give us cheapskates a break in ‘08.
3. Less embarrassing Bluetooth headsets.
Bluetooth is a great technology, but being able to operate your phone hands-free would be a lot more palatable if you could wear an earpiece without looking like a motivational speaker who has wandered into the wrong room.
How about something that fits more snugly in the ear, perhaps using bone-conduction to grab your voice rather than a microphone? Let’s make 2008 the year we all stopped looking like David Brent.
4. New kinds of display.
While 2008 will undoubtedly see a *lot* of iPhone-esque touch screen phones, it would be interesting to see a phone with a roll-out display for widescreen video or mobile gaming.
Likewise, the crystal-clear text display of an E Ink page could make a fantastic, classy handset that would double as an eBook reader to rival Amazon’s chunky Kindle.
5. Open source, open access.
Google’s Android is likely to be the first open-source OS to find a true mass market. Based on the geek-friendly desktop & server OS, Linux, Android code is freely modifiable by the user and should attract developers who can unlock its potential.
It’s hard to picture if you are used to an OS like Symbian or Windows Mobile, but having full access to the phone’s hardware and data, as per the Android specs, should enable the creation of truly innovative apps and new ways of using your mobile data.
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