Smartphone

A smartphone is a mobile device that combines the functionality of a traditional mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multimedia playback and streaming. Smartphones have built-in cameras, GPS navigation, and support for various communication methods, including voice calls, text messaging, and internet-based messaging apps.

Smartphones are different from older-design feature phones because of their more advanced hardware and extensive mobile operating systems. They can access the internet, run business applications, and support mobile payments, music, video, gaming, radio, and television. By the mid-2020s, many smartphones could also send messages and access emergency services using satellite messaging, which is helpful in places without good cellular coverage.

The popularity of the iPhone in the late 2000s helped make most smartphones look like thin, slate-like devices with large, capacitive touch screens that support multi-touch gestures. Users can download or purchase additional applications from an app store, and many smartphones can store data in the cloud storage and use virtual assistants. As of 2020, about 75 percent of people around the world used smartphones.

History

Main article: History of smartphones

Smartphones started as simple mobile phones but have grown into powerful devices that can do much more than just make calls. Over the years, they have added features like touchscreens, internet access, and apps for many different uses, changing how people communicate and spend their time every day. Today, smartphones are like small computers that fit in your pocket and help with everything from taking photos to finding your way with maps.

Hardware

Smartphone with infrared transmitter on top for use as remote control

A typical smartphone contains many small chips that help it work. These chips include an application processor, which is the brain of the phone, and flash memory for storing data. Smartphones also have cameras, GPS for finding locations, and different ways to connect, like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Smartphones usually have a power button and volume buttons. Some phones have special buttons for taking pictures or making emergency calls. The screen is a big part of a smartphone, and most phones have screens that fill almost the whole front of the device. Screens can be different sizes, and some phones have extra ways to control them, like using a stylus.

Software

Main article: Mobile operating system

A mobile operating system is a special type of software that runs on phones, tablets, and other portable devices. The two most popular ones today are Android and iOS. These systems let your device do many things, like connecting to the internet, taking pictures, and using apps.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has an artificial intelligence-powered feature.

Main article: Mobile app

Mobile apps are programs you can download to your phone to do different tasks, from playing games to checking the weather.

Main article: List of mobile app distribution platforms

When Apple launched the App Store in 2008, it changed how people get apps for their phones. Now, most phones have their own stores where you can find and download apps made by many different developers.

List of current smartphone brands

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

Sales

Smartphones have grown popular since 1996. By 2013, more people were buying smartphones than regular mobile phones, with over 1 billion smartphones sold that year. However, sales began to drop in some years because prices were high and new features were slow to appear. Companies like Huawei, Oppo, and Xiaomi offered cheaper options, which changed the market.

Samsung and Apple have been the top sellers for many years. In early 2024, Samsung became the leading smartphone maker again, while Apple's sales fell. Other brands like Xiaomi are also growing, especially in places like China.

Use

The popularity of smartphones has changed how we use many everyday tools. Devices like portable music players, small digital cameras, and GPS navigation systems are often no longer needed because smartphones can do these jobs and more. With a smartphone, people can take photos and videos, get directions, play games, and even check the time without needing other gadgets.

Smartphones have also changed how people handle money and communicate. Many people use their phones to do banking, pay for things, and send money to others. In some places, smartphones are the main way people get online, access information, or even take pictures of documents to share. This makes life easier and more connected for many people around the world.

Main articles: Mobile banking and Mobile payment

Criticism and issues

Social impacts

Smartphones have changed how we live and interact. Some concerns include their effects on sleep and behavior. Using smartphones at night can disrupt sleep because of the bright screen and blue light. This can affect sleep cycles and melatonin levels.

Some people can become very attached to their smartphones, feeling anxious when they are apart from them. There are also concerns about distracted walking, where people focus so much on their phones that they might not pay attention to where they are going.

While driving

Using a smartphone while driving is very dangerous and is banned in many places. This includes talking, texting, or even using apps while driving. Distracted driving can lead to serious accidents. Many countries have strict laws against using phones while driving, with fines and penalties for those who break these rules.

Legal

The smartphone industry has seen many legal battles over patents. Companies like Apple and Samsung have fought in court over who created certain features first. These lawsuits are part of larger battles in the technology world over who owns the rights to different inventions.

Medical

Using smartphones too much can sometimes cause health problems, such as headaches or trouble sleeping. There are also concerns about the safety of medical apps on smartphones, with governments working to make sure they give reliable advice.

Impacts on cognition and mental health

There is ongoing discussion about how smartphones affect our thinking and mental well-being. Some believe they help, while others worry they might cause problems.

Security

Smartphones can be targets for malware and theft. Bad actors sometimes hide harmful software in fake app versions or updates. There have also been reports of spyware that can secretly monitor users. To protect devices, many now include features to locate, lock, or wipe stolen phones.

Sleep

Using smartphones late at night can hurt sleep because of the blue light from screens. Many phones now have "Night Mode" or similar features that change the screen color to reduce blue light, helping users sleep better. However, using phones right before bed can still affect sleep quality for some people.

Restrictions and bans

Further information: Digital detox

Some countries have made rules to help students spend less time on their smartphones. For example, South Korea has a new law that will stop students from using phones in classrooms starting in March 2026, with some exceptions for students with disabilities or special needs. France and Finland have also made rules, mostly for younger students, to limit phone use in schools.

Other countries like Italy, the Netherlands, and China have put in place even stronger restrictions, which have helped improve school environments. In Australia, different states have their own rules—Victoria and New South Wales are now banning phone use during school hours. Some students have mixed feelings about these changes, with some thinking that teaching better habits might be more helpful than just taking phones away.

Replacement of dedicated digital cameras

In the early 2010s, more people started using the cameras in their smartphones instead of buying separate small cameras. This happened because phone cameras got better and could take clear videos and pictures.

However, smartphones still don't have all the special features that small cameras have, like extra space for memory cards or very bright lights for taking pictures. Small cameras can also hold bigger parts that help them take better photos. But phone makers have added more cameras to phones to help make up for some of these missing features.

Lifespan

Further information: Lithium-ion battery § Lifespan, and Planned obsolescence § Batteries

Smartphones released since the mid-2010s often have batteries that aren’t meant to be replaced. These batteries wear out faster if you use your phone a lot or do things that use a lot of power.

Lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries, which power most portable devices, also lose their ability to hold a charge over time, especially if they are charged too fully or drained too much. Some phones can stop working properly if you replace certain parts, like the battery, without the manufacturer’s approval. This was first noticed in 2015 with the iPhone 6.