Each Year, Mobile phones become more and more techno-savvy and get more features added to their capabilities. When I got my first phone, It was pretty simple: 
Unlike the model in this picture though, I didn’t have texting abilities. I was able to make phone calls to and from friends and check my voicemails. I was excited that it had a color screen, and I could change the picture from clouds to a sunshine when I wanted to. After my contract was up on that one, I got the razr:
When I got the razr, it was the coolest thing because it not only had a color screen, but it also flipped open and closed, I could take pictures with it and download them to my computer, or even send them to friends because I now had texting abilities. I was also able to download ringtones for my friends of my favorite songs from Verizons ringtone store. I was moving up in the world. Then I got the Samsung phone:
This phone closed like the razr, but could be flipped open to talk on the phone like the razr, or flipped open on the side for texting with a full miniature qwerty keyboard. I could also download ringtones on this phone, I had unlimited texting and there is internet capabilities available although I didn’t use them. Now I have the LG Dare:
This phone has a full touch screen, as well as many other capabilities available like internet access and more.
Although I’m not completely connected with my cell, there are phones that have capabilities for games, apps, full internet access, and more. With the iPhone, users can download apps from the Apple store for games, weather, workout plans, menus, etc. Some are free, some cost, but they are all a choice for the user to download based on what they’re interested in. This allows different brands to create apps to be available for download on the apple store. With workout plans from nike, skateboarding games from skecher’s, surfing game’s from Billabong, etc, Brands can now make appearances on people’s cell phones per their decision. This has opened up a world of possibility for marketers to reach consumers where they are communicating with others most often. People always have their cell phones on them wherever they go, now they can take their favorite brands on the go with them.
viapopuli said,
December 21, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Nice progression of mobile handset technology. What is the timeframe from your first phone to your most recent? Do you think the constant handset upgrading will peak anytime soon or will consumers constantly be wanting the next best thing. Of course, handset makers will want us to always want the newest model, but do you think mobile phones will ever be like cars, for example, and stay with us for 5, 10, 15 years before we consider getting a new one? I would like to see handsets with customizable or upgradable hardware, much like PCs now. Want more memory? Add a chip. More speed? Get a new processor. Better call quality? Wait … what’s that?
-John
Michelle Goodliff said,
December 21, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Allison,
Great post! My how cell phones have changed throughout the years. My first phone was through Cellular One (which is now owned by AT&T) and I had a generic Nokia cell phone. My next phone was through Verizon and it was my first flip phone. The phone flipped open and had a rotating camera on the area where the top and the bottom of the phone connected to each other. I cannot remember the name of the phone. My next phone was like yours, the Razr. I had a light pink Razr and it was a flip phone as well through Verizon. My latest phone is the LG EnV2, which I abosolutely love! I purchased this phone through Verizon and it has a qwerty keyboard, which is perfect for me because I love to text message. It is a flip phone, but it flips horizontally instead of the traditional vertical flip. Although the EnV2 is discontinued now and a newer version (EnV3 and EnV Touch) is now available, I still love this phone that I have.
It is amazing how phones have changed in the past couple of years. My first phone could only text message and make calls, but now my newest phone can search the Internet, download music, record videos, take pictures, send pictures, text message and make calls.
Michelle