I was just reading an article on Wired that talked about the future of phones, and iphones specifically. http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/news/2007/10/wimax_iphone
There is a rumor that claims that WiMax (a high speed portable internet) will become mainstream within the next few years. I thought this concept was interesting because it plays into the whole idea about media convergence. In the next 10 years, cell phones, tvs, and ipods could become obsolete, and people will just carry one little device that holds it all. After all, isn't that would the newly popular iphone is already trying to do?
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I think it is quite interesting what we can find online, and while quite a few polished updates and upgrades will indeed change the idea of being connected. It's quite impressive to think about the capability of the iphone, though I feel that a majority of people will still want devices that are specialized for certain tasks.
Unfortunately, it will be quite some time before technology spreads across the globe so that those who are traveling can utilize the travel technology efficiently. It will be interesting to see how this will be received in communities when opposition arises.
I think that like many new technologies, this may be slow to be adopted by the general public. For example, we have wireless N technology, but many people and companies still are only compatible with wireless G. Additionally, I believe that the iPhone is simply a weak device with strong marketing. Nokia has been making devices with these kind of capabilities for years, but most people don't know this because of poor marketing on Nokia's part. The iPhone currently also lacks many features that other phones have.
Products like the iPhone are trying to put together many different features on one product for convenience. It seems though products like this bode well for early adopters and "fans" as Jenkins would say, but usually do not stick for the general public, and the majority of products people use is the result of situational use. Thats why we don't have one "black box" that will do it all, it isn't all that convenient. Not everyone needs/wants their email with them everywhere they go, or photos, youtube, and stocks for that matter (which are all included on the iPhone). The one device does it all is a utopia like idea but each individual has a different definition of what "all" they want or need.
Rueben is right and I believe we need to be paying more attention to the actual technology than any one specific device as those will constantly replace each other. Technology can be slow to be implemented, especially when it requires new infrastructure.
Specific companies can upgrade what products they use rather quickly, however why should we buy a new phone(or other piece of technology) if its features only work in a couple places.
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