It seems like every month a new smartphone is released, boasting a host of brand-spanking-new features that will "change our lives forever". Here is a look at the most innovative technologies that dropped in 2013.
The prospect of using your phone as a replacement for your credit or debit card has been mooted for some time, and now the technology seems ready for lift off. This is achieved by Near Field Communication - NFC for short - which allows two devices to communicate with each other over a very short distance.
Voice-controlled devices have been heralded as the future by sci-fi for as long as we can remember, but is a usable, useful reality really upon us?
According to Apple, its own voice-recognition service Siri "understands what you say" and "knows what you mean", but anyone who has used it will be well aware of its limitations. As voice recognition currently works by analysing sound waves, the fact that everyone has a different accent and way of pronouncing most words means it can be tricky to develop a one-size-fits-all solution.
In October 2013, Samsung - the world's biggest technology manufacturer - unveiled the Galaxy Round smartphone with a flexible screen as its USP. While such displays had been rumoured for some time, the fact that a big player like Samsung feels ready to announce its foray into this market shows what a big deal this technology could be.
With the iPhone already claiming to have a resolution better than the human eye can actually see, where can we go next with screen resolutions? The third-dimension is the obvious answer.
While there are some 3D display phones on the market already, as technology improves many more should become available in the coming years. Rumours abound that Amazon is readying its first foray into the smartphone market by launching a handset with a 3D holographic display.
How else can manufacturers solve the screen size to portability conundrum? By adding a projector to a smartphone of course!
Augmented reality is big news at the moment what with all the fuss over the highly anticipated Google Glass device. However, many of this generation's smartphones are also using this technology right now - with varying levels of success. It allows the user to hold their device up to their surroundings, which will then overlay additional information such as bars, coffee shops and points of interest over the actual image.
We have touched on the Google Glass already, but it is not the only wearable technology on the horizon. Reports in the press suggest that Apple has filed to trademark the iWatch name, sending the rumour mill into overdrive accordingly.
This means that you could feasibly ditch your wallet all together and just carry your phone around in your pocket to make calls, surf the internet, and buy groceries from your local shop.
However, this technology could in fact be used for something completely different too. A US firm uses NFC technology to bridge the gap between humans and real-world objects - in particular gravestones. You can touch your NFC phone against a gravestone, and instantly receive a biography about that person's life. While we are not entirely sold on that, it shows what can be achieved using NFC technology.
New software is being developed however which will interpret diction and syntax with greater accuracy, meaning in the not too distant future sure you may be able to dictate texts without any embarrassing slip-ups.
With many consumers facing a trade-off between big screens that are great for video and gaming and the portability of pocket-friendly devices, flexible screens could be the way to go. You would then be able to enjoy all the benefits of a larger phone, before folding it up so it would go back safely in your pocket.
Nokia has also been researching this technology in its Morph project, while the much rumoured Apple iWatch is alleged to utilise such bendy screens too.
"Retina-tracking technology" would be used to make it appear that images are hovering above the surface of the screen. These would be viewable from every angle, without the need for special glasses.
Mobile gaming and movie watching seem to be the main benefactors from such advances, so if you are a fan of either - and let's face it, who isn't? - keep your eyes peeled for the next developments.
Yes, we know Samsung tried this a few years ago with the Galaxy Beam with little pickup. This device was applauded for its innovation, but unfortunately the projector was just not powerful enough. Obviously adding a more powerful projector runs the risk of even further draining the battery life of already power-sapping smartphones. But for some manufacturers, the lure of allowing the user to project a video or game onto a wall is too big to ignore, so don't be surprised to see better-quality projectors being included in the near future.
In theory, a user visiting a new town or city can find out immediately the best restaurants or bars in their surrounding area, or even information on historical buildings and monuments. When paired up with GPS, augmented reality also provides the opportunity to give real-life, real-time directions. No more turning your phone round and round in your hands to try and find which way you are walking!
With Apple famed for its attention to aesthetic beauty, you would have to imagine they will make a fair stab at bridging the gap between fashion and technology with the iWatch. Obviously as we haven't had the big "keynote" unveil yet, we can't say for sure exactly what features the iWatch will include. Some argue that it will work alongside existing iOS devices, while others believe it will work predominantly as a standalone device. We will have to wait and see.
This website is either not supported for your browser or Javascript has been disabled.
