A mobile phone, commonly shortened to just mobile phone or simply mobile, is a small, light-weight telephone that will make and receive calls on a dedicated radio frequency network while the user is traveling within a phone service area. These phones generally are powered either by the user’s own rechargeable batteries or by a wired external adapter. These devices are usually equipped with voice messaging and caller ID features, although most also include some sort of data storage capacity. The term “mobile phone” is generally used to refer to any type of mobile device that is capable of making and receiving calls. This includes such devices as, but is not limited to, laptops, netbooks, portable media players, portable touch screen tablets and certain other types of personal digital assistants (PDAs). In the United States, the term mobile phone is used to refer to any type of mobile communication device that is capable of wireless communication.
There are several different categories of mobile phones. In most cases, the term “mobile phone” refers to any device that is capable of connecting to a wireless network via a wireless card or via an internal rechargeable battery. In recent years, however, the term mobile phone has been broadly defined to include hand-held devices, such as cell phones and portable media players, as well as “proximity” devices, such as smart phones and PDA’s (personal digital assistant) and video game consoles. The latter type of mobile device is referred to as a smart phone, which can be regarded as a type of mobile phone full form.
One of the most popular smartphone models available today is the iPhone, which features all of the features of an upscale mobile phone as well as providing access to a large number of applications and websites. In fact, many people consider iPhone and other smartphones to be more similar to miniature computers than traditional cell phones. This is partly due to advances in the field of software development, which has made it possible for users to download mobile apps to their smartphones. In addition, smartphone users can transfer data by connecting their smartphones to a cellular data plan, which has the effect of charging their devices while they use the Internet.
Another popular smartphone model is the Android based smartphone named Android. Unlike iPhones and other smartphones, however, Android does not provide a mobile phone service via a cellular network. Instead, users can use certain applications provided by third party developers to make phone calls to and from various destinations over the internet. These calls are generally less expensive than calls made using a cellular network, although some carriers offer subsidized calling plans for new customers. Some carriers also offer free or subsidized data plans to customers who sign up for a one month trial program. For some Android users, monthly payments made for the usage of their devices might also be deducted from their regular cellular payment in order to pay for the costs of SMS messages and data use.
A third type of smartphone, called BlackBerry, also functions without a cellular network. This device was developed by BlackBerry, a company known for its business-oriented smartphones and mobile phone accessories, including wireless headsets. Unlike Android and other smartphones, BlackBerry phones do not run on Google’s Android operating system. Instead, BlackBerry uses its own proprietary operating system, called Blackberry OS, to allow it to make calls and to access the features that are found on the iPhone. Unlike Blackberry phones, however, BlackBerry phones cannot place voice calls on their own networks.
Other older and lesser known smartphones operate without a mobile phone service through a USB port or Bluetooth technology. The Bluetooth technology enables these phones to communicate with mobile phones via a connection of a transceiver. These phones, however, are quite fragile and need frequent replacement if they are to work. Some Bluetooth-based smartphones have been known to break down after just a few months of use, requiring a completely new purchase. Similarly, the USB port used to connect these phones to computers may wear out after continuous use. All in all, these older phones do not work like modern smartphones.