The growth of mobile usage in 2014

#WorkspaceWeek continues with a sponsored post from Mr Nutcase on the changes we can expect to see in mobile usage this year.

The majority of people in the UK own a smartphone.

But when you factor in feature phones and other mobile devices, there are actually many more active handsets than there are individual subscribers to use them.  

Owning more than one mobile phone is not unusual.

A combination of affluence and a highly competitive market is helping Britain to lead the way when it comes to portable product adoption.  

So what trends can we expect to shape mobile usage in 2014 and can it continue to grow in spite of the oversaturation?

UltraHD

    For most mobile owners the concept of having a full HD 1080p on a phone is novel, having only been introduced via handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S4 in 2013. But pixel counts are going to be pushed even higher in 2014, with the first UltraHD phones likely to emerge.  

Apple is thought to be working on a new iPhone which will pack a screen that is not only larger than the one found on the 5S, but also crammed with many more pixels. This should redefine the Retina Display for a new generation.

  Meanwhile, companies like LG, Samsung and Sony are experimenting behind closed doors to bring 2K and even 4K UltraHD displays to market. This makes sense mainly because the new Snapdragon 805 chipset from Qualcomm can really handle 4K content, both for playback and recording, so mobiles are about to get even more powerful and functional.

  Of course, personalised phone cases will be required to protect the bigger, better screens of these new mobiles or else consumers could be left with cracked, smashed devices.  

Flexible phones

  The durability of smartphones is gradually improving, with Sony’s Xperia range bringing waterproofing to the sleek, stylish end of the market last year. But 2014 could be the time for flexible phones to shine.  

Samsung and LG already have handsets with curved, flexible screens on sale, but the widespread availability of such technology has yet to come to fruition. Some believe that the flagship Galaxy S5 will have a curved screen this year, which would definitely pull the technology out of obscurity.  

Mobile payments

  Android smartphones have had NFC (near field communication) chips in them for a while now, but Apple has remained resolutely opposed to adding similar technology to its iOS-based devices, for reasons that are unclear.

  But following the introduction of TouchID last autumn, along with the likelihood that the next iPad will have the same fingerprint scanner as the iPhone 5S, there is mounting evidence to suggest that mobile payments are going to finally become part of Apple’s modus operandi.

  Being able to tap your iPhone against a till or kiosk in a shop, restaurant or other retail outlet to pay for products could completely change the way that consumers operate. Certainly, Apple has the kind of influence to make this more than just a niche feature.  

2014 will be an exciting and surprising year for mobile usage in the UK, especially for the people who are willing to be on the cutting edge of technological adoption. 

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