Mobile Devices 1

Development of Mobile Devices

Berker Sönmez

Faculty of Computer and Informatics

040100101

Oğuz Onur Kul

Faculty of Computer and Informatics

040100105

Erdem Emekligil

Faculty of Computer and Informatics

150110702

English 201

Sueda Albayrak

December 22, 2011 Mobile Devices 2

Thesis: The hardware, software and connection technologies of mobile devices have

developed greatly in the recent years.

I. Hardware A. Inside Components 1. Chips 2. Batteries B. Outside Components 1. Cameras 2. Touch sense technologies II. Software

A. New operating systems

1. iOS

2. Android

B. Functional applications

1. Medical applications

2. Game applications

III. Connection technologies

A. New generation wireless technologies

1. 802.11(Wifi) and 802.16(WiMax)

2. , IrDA and HomeRF

B. Advanced communication protocols

1. 3G technology

2. 4G (LTE) technology Mobile Devices 3

Technology is one of the fastest growing entities in science. Day after day, many improvements are being made, many ideas and inventions are being added to this entity. In the recent years, mobile technology gained importance since people have started living in different places and it is important to provide communication among them. Mobile devices are small, portable equipments that are used to carry out various tasks without being obliged to stay in a certain place. In the recent years, the most popular mobile devices have been mobile phones since they have become everyday objects which people carry in their pockets to wherever they travel. Using mobile devices, it is possible to view e-mails, play games, read books and complete many other tasks on the go. Therefore, the importance of mobile phones can not be overlooked. The hardware, software and connection technologies of mobile devices have developed greatly in the recent years.

Firstly, mobile devices are in continuous development regarding hardware technologies. To begin with chips and batteries are important inside components. Primarily,

Smith (2008) states that mobile chip producers are producing new models permanently and the competition between them causes production of different types of powerful chips. For example one of the latest models of ARM has 32 bit architecture, has clock rates between

400MHz and 1GHz. These high speed clock rates are comparable to laptop chips which have

2.1GHz on cheap models (p.15). This high tech mobile chips show that, mobile devices are similar to mini computers today. With the high speed chips mobile phones will be more compact serving various applications. Furthermore new battery design facilitates mobile battery to be fitted in phone’s casing. (U.S. Patent No. 6,060,193, 1998). In addition, new solar powered batteries provide an unending use of phone while the weather is sunny and another benefit is that the batteries use solar energy instead of electrical energy (U.S. Patent

No. 6,977,479, 2005). Therefore all these new inventions solve mobile phones charging Mobile Devices 4 problem and make fitting of mobile battery easier. In conclusion, chips and batteries are important hardware.

Additionally, cameras and touch sense technologies are important outside components.

First, Ohbuchi, Hanaizumi and Hock (2004) mention that mobile cameras are being used for various purposes like taking photos or recording videos which depend on device technology.

“%30 of mobile phones in Japan have embedded camera devices at 2003, and some of those have more than over mega-pixel range image sensor cameras”. In addition to this, mobile cameras can be used for symbol recognition as an input device (para. 4). Also there are camera applications which uses mobile cameras such as barcode reader application (para. 7).

To sum up, mobile cameras which have many features now will replace normal cameras and new applications that use cameras will increase mobile cameras’ usage areas. Moreover,

Albinson and Zhai (2003) state that touch screen technology that is overlaid on the display makes other extra input control devices unnecessary. It provides extra space for display screen on mobile devices. Also touch screens are easier to use compared to mouse. Touch screens have better quality and are cheaper than they were in the past (p. 105). All these features show that mobile phones with touch screen technology provides larger display screens for watching videos and brings new control methods for games. These will increase the entertainment related use of mobile phones. In conclusion, cameras and touch screen technologies are important hardware technologies

Secondly, software technologies of mobile devices have developed greatly in the recent years. First of all, iOS and Android are recent operating systems used in mobile devices. To begin with, as Canalys Research Release cited in Lin and Ye state, iPhone OS which is developed by Apple, is a new approach to the smartphone industry. iPhone OS has come out in the second place in the operating system market (2009). Apple can control and Mobile Devices 5 monitor iPhone OS since it is not an open operating system (p. 617). Considering the information above, it can be said that iOS is a swiftly developing software which is created by the independence of production process that is maintained by Apple. For this reason, it can be predicted that iOS will be one of the most preferred operating system software among its competitors. Moreover, Whipple, Arensman and Boler assert that Android is an alternative operating system and application programming interface, developed by Google. It is supported by Sony, Samsung, and Nvidia which have received successful results by unifying multiple technologies (2009, p. 2059). Goadrich and Rogers explain that unlike iOS, since Android is not restricted to any of the operating systems, it can be developed under almost any environment without needing particular hardware (2011, p. 607). Taking all these facts into account, one can say that Android can be seen as a powerful rival to iOS. Therefore, it is possible that Android will be preferred by most of the developers, since it offers more comfortable medium for programming. All things considered, it is clear that the rivalry between Android and iOS will be a triggering element to accelerate the development of mobile operating systems.

In addition to operating systems, functional applications are other developing software technologies in mobile devices. For example, medical applications have an important place among software technologies. As Panteli, Pitsillides, Pitsillides and Samaras (2007) state,

“DITIS is an internet-based group collaboration system with secure, fixed and mobile connectivity”. It creates a secure environment for connecting to e-records and organizing virtual health-care groups, that can be accessed by health personnel and patients from anywhere using mobile devices and computers (p. 104). As research by Wong and Tong shows, 3G mobile medical image viewing system is another designed medical application that can be used to carry out examinations of patients remotely via mobile phones (2007, p. 313). Mobile Devices 6

All these examples lead to the fact that recent medical applications for mobile devices can be used to turn mobile phones into personal healthcare tools. Thus, it is possible that people will be able to reach medical services more easily and cheaply thanks to developing mobile software. Additionally, mobile gaming applications are other significantly developed software technologies. As Bucolo, Billinghurst and Sickinger explain, since current mobile devices have powerful hardware and functionalities like fast CPU, sharp color displays and multimedia; it is convenient for them to have a growing gaming applications market (p. 87).

Mobile Maze game is an application designed for mobile phones, which uses phone’s camera instead of keyboard to obtain user input, providing a more appreciable user interface (p. 88).

It unites a simple idea with an advanced technology and introduces a more attractive gaming concept (2005). In the light of this example, it can be said that mobile phones are very suitable devices that can be used to create inventive gaming applications. Clearly, as the mobile technologies are developed, gaming applications will be one of the most important parts of the mobile market. In conclusion, all these examples prove that medical and gaming applications are two categories of the mobile software technologies that have developed greatly in the past few years.

Finally, mobile devices are in continuous development regarding the connection technologies. To begin with, Wifi(802.11), WiMax(802.16), Bluetooth, IrDA and HomeRF are important wireless technologies which have been developed lately. Primarily, according to

Sarkar, Basavarju and Puttamadappa Wifi is a wireless technology designed for personal use.

WiMax is superior model of Wifi and it is designed for a wider area usage than Wifi. As Wifi is widely preferred, the cost of Wifi technology products have become affordable (2008). On the other hand , because WiMax, a new version of Wifi , provides higher speed, WiMax technology products are more expensive (pp. 7-8). Considering the information above, Mobile Devices 7 presently WiMax is more expensive and it is mostly preferred by companies, but after the development process, WiMax will take over the Wifi’s current position and home users can benefit from it. Secondarily, Sarkar et al. (2008) state that Bluetooth is a wireless technology which requires low power and uses high speed. IrDA is a wireless technology and it is used for connecting the devices that can only be connected with cables. HomeRF is also a technology which uses radio frequency for data and voice communications. Bluetooth is for personal use while, HomeRF and IrDA are developed for industrial use. Unlike Bluetooth and

HomeRF, IrDA requires line of sight positioning (pp. 2-4). In view of this information, it can be argued that Bluetooth is perfectly suitable for home users, because connection to different devices is facilitated. This explains why Bluetooth is widely known by people. All things considered, it is clear that the importance of the new generation wireless technologies can not be underestimated.

In addition, 3G and 4G (LTE) are also wireless technologies which have been developed lately. Firstly, as stated by Punz (2010), after 2G (EDGE), 3G was built for two primary things: high speed data transfer rates for user and higher bandwidth for the operator.

Besides, security is a very important matter too. Before 3G system, 2G could not afford new level of security systems. So, with 3G highly secure communication was made possible (pp.

10, 20). Also, as Hara and Shinsuke (2003) assert, “The 3G systems are also based on digital technologies for mixed voice, data and multimedia traffic and mixed-circuit packer-switched network” (pp. 1-2). In view of this information, it can be argued that the development of 3G technology has brought new security systems compared with than 2G technology, but the evolotion is still not enough for end users and 4G technology is in development. Secondly, as the study of Hara and Shinsuke mentions (2003), because of the 3G technology is not meeting the requirements such as speed, 4G technology has been developing. Due to limited sources Mobile Devices 8 of 3G, 4G contains new wireless access technology. This new technology supports 100 Mbps for cell phones and 1 Gbps for WLAN (Wireless ) (pp. 2-4). Taking all these facts into account, it is clear that 4G will be in use within a few years, but, with this speed of technological development, it will not take too long to call 4G as old technology.

Research thus shows that 3G and 4G technologies are irreplaceable in our lives.

In conclusion, mobile devices have gone through many developments over the recent years. Primarily, hardware developments have been made. All electronic parts, in other words, inside and outside components have been upgraded. Software is another developed technology of mobile devices. Several user-friendly and life-easing operating systems and creative functional applications have been produced. Finally, connection technologies have an important role in the development of mobile devices. New generation wireless technologies and advanced communication protocols are two essential topics for mobile technologies and have been improved greatly. All things considered, it is clear that mobile devices will continue to be used as everyday tools as they will evolve further. Due to this potential, the current development should be continued with more effort. Mobile Devices 9

References

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Table 1.

Types of Wireless Technologies

Peak Data Range Relative Cost Voice Data Rate Network Network Support Support IEEE 802.11 2 Mbps 50 meters Medium Via Internet Transmission Protocol (IP) Control Protocol (TCP)/IP IrDA 16 Mbps <2 meters Low Via IP Via Point-to- Point Protocol (PPP) Bluetooth 1 Mbps <10 meters Medium Via IP and Via PPP Cellular HomeRF 1,6 Mbps 50 meters Medium Via IP and TCP/IP PSTN

From Ad hoc mobile wireless networks: principles, protocols, and applications by S.K.

Sarkar, T.G. Basavaraju & C. Puttamadappa, 2008, New York: Auerbach Publications (p. 5). Mobile Devices 12

Figure Caption

Figure 1. An example for mobile chips (Texas Instruments’ OMAP3430). Mobile Devices 13

From “ ARM and Intel Battle over the Mobile Chip’s Future. Computer “ by Smith, 2008. Retrieved December,

22, 2011, from http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4519929