On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, inventor of the cellular phone, made the first ever cellular call in New York, United States. Telephoning is one of the many functions that are possible with a mobile phone today. Back to the developments and models of mobile phones that marked their time.
Using a mobile phone weighing 1.2 kg and 22 cm long, Martin Cooper, the inventor of the mobile device, made the first call. The idea came to him, among other things, from the Star Trek series, in which the famous Captain Kirk spoke with his switch. He was also driven by the development of telephones in cars, but using them bothered him because people stayed in their vehicles to make calls.
The first mobile phone was therefore extremely bulky. Also, it took 10 hours to recharge the battery, which allowed it to talk on the phone for just 35 minutes…
From Bi-Bop to Razr
Since then, cell phones have come a long way. One of the first cult phones was the Bi-Bop, launched in France in 1991. This mobile phone had to use the networks of specific radio terminals that could both make and receive calls.
The Nokia 5110 has access to more global networks and has been a great success. It is one of the most popular phones of its generation and was the first to offer the Snake game and be able to change its case at will to display different colors. In 1999, Ericsson caused a surprise by offering the T28s. This phone featured a keypad that could be hidden thanks to a plastic flap that opened with a release button.
The Nokia 3310 is also a cult phone. It was marketed in the 2000s and was widely appreciated for its compactness, solidity, and interchangeable shells.
In 2002, LG launched the LG Chocolate KG800. This sliding mobile phone, which reveals its alphanumeric keyboard under its screen, has attracted a very wide audience, thanks in particular to its large screen, the integration of a digital photo sensor and its ability to play music tracks in MP3 format.
A year later, Motorola introduced the Razr V3 clamshell phone, which is also equipped with a camera and an audio player, but is extremely compact, especially when folded.
It slides in all directions
In 2007 Nokia released the N95. This phone uses the principle of sliding its upper part, composed of the screen and the directional cross, to reveal its alphanumeric keyboard. It is equipped with a photo sensor and offers many games. That year Apple also presented its first iPhone, a revolution at the time because it was a device that offered a large touchscreen (3.5 inches) instead of the keyboard. . It works thanks to an operating system, iOS, which allows you to install applications.
A little over a year later, Google and HTC launched the HTC Dream G1, the first smartphone model to feature the Linux-based Android system, with a 3.2-inch sliding touchscreen and an alphanumeric keyboard, but also with a 3.15 megapixel photo sensor.
Around the same time, the BlackBerry brand was enjoying great success with the Curve family. This phone, equipped with a screen, full keyboard and trackball, appeals to a very wide audience, mainly professionals but also private individuals. The Canadian brand is then at its peak, but it also represents the beginning of the end and is keen to keep its system, like Apple, while Android is available from many brands.
BlackBerry will attempt a comeback in 2013 with the BB10, but to no avail, before falling later with the Priv Android, but too late to raise the bar.
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Large touchscreens then foldable
After this time, mobile phones are equipped with large touch screens. We are thinking in particular of the Google Nexus One, developed in collaboration with HTC and released in 2010. Samsung arrives with the first Galaxy S, an Android phone with a 1 GHz single-core processor, 512 MB of RAM and a photo sensor of 5 megapixels, a 1500 mAh battery and a screen, already AMOLED.
In 2014, LG surprised everyone with the LG G Flex, the first phone with a curved screen that “adapts to the shape of your face during a call”. Unfortunately, it didn’t reach its audience, perhaps because of a particularly high price tag of €800.
Then the Samsung Galaxy S6 is the first smartphone that has a curved screen on both sides, as we know it today. It also opens up the non-removable battery, while previously it was possible to remove the battery for easy changing. Also note that it’s one of the first to offer inductive wireless charging.
One to two years later, it’s the race for the best cell phone photo. The manufacturers then began a merciless battle for the photo performance of their cameras, which is still relevant today.
Launched in February 2019, the Samsung Galaxy Fold is the first folding smartphone but has some youthful problems with its screen, finally appearing a few months later for just over €2000. Since then, several brands have offered similar or clamshell models, such as Samsung’s Galaxy Flip.
