The smartphone market used to be a hallmark of innovation, but nowadays, aside from the folding form factor, smartphone manufacturers have decided that the technology works, more or less, the same. What does this decline in innovation mean for you and your business? It might actually not be all that bad.

The Smartphone and Its Relationship with Innovation

Simply put, the smartphone is the single most important computer ever developed.

Smartphones have brought users together like never before, to the point where people are nervous to leave home without them these days (nomophobia). Smartphones are also known to contain significant amounts of data, as they are used for both personal and business purposes. Furthermore, the fact that smartphones are essentially pocket-sized computers means that users are capable of doing so much more from pretty much anywhere.

So why aren’t companies doing more to innovate and bring new features to their devices?

The Basics Already Exist

The smartphone industry pushed to jam-pack each new smartphone with all kinds of new features, like better cameras, faster processors, and brighter screens. Nowadays, most phones do what we need to do and do it well, so there’s no reason to add anything more.

Small Changes Are Not as Sexy as Big Ones

The changes made to smartphones today are so small compared to the early days that most people can’t tell the difference. A smartphone screen’s refresh rate going from 90Hz to 120Hz, for example, is not as significant a jump as you might think… unless your phone is for gaming and you REALLY care about that.

Smartphones are a Commodity

If you want a smartphone, you probably already have one. Rather than making brand new devices every year, companies are investing more time and energy into making apps and services better, which is only happening at a meager rate compared to before.

There are Limits and Costs to Consider

While cool new ideas are exciting and inject some innovation into the smartphone market, things like foldable screens and cameras hidden under the screen cost money to make. These limitations make them tricky and, quite frankly, not worth it in many cases for manufacturers (or users, for that matter).

More Powerful Software and Better Services

The hardware included with smartphones, like the screens and cameras, is already quite good, so companies are putting more time and energy into improving the software. These operating systems and apps include more dynamic features, like photo editing and phone connections, but they do little to actually move the needle in a meaningful way.

We regularly cover developments in the smartphone market, so check back on our blog to learn more about innovation in this sector of the technology landscape.