When
we wonder about what can be the next big thing in smartphones, we
usually draw a blank as we have seen a lot of innovations over the
years. Flexible displays, Quad HD resolutions, heart-rate sensors in
smartphones – things which were in the realm of science fiction just
five years back – are slowly becoming more mainstream.
The
Mobile World Congress is one of the few events in the year, where
smartphone makers are ready with their best products. While a lot of the
product launches are iterative in nature, we do come across some
innovations that leave us impressed each year. So let us check out some
technologies which reiterate the fact that all is not lost and
smartphone innovation is still alive and kicking.
1. Iris recognition technology by Fujitsu
At
MWC, Fujitsu unveiled a new kind of iris authentication system which
has been built into a prototype smartphone. A user just needs to look at
the phone screen to simply unlock it. This is a faster unlocking system
and makes finger-print or unlocking by typing in a passcode seem slow.
The new authentication method uses an infrared light which scans the
eye. The scanner recognizes an individual’s unique iris and will even
work if you are wearing glasses or contact lenses. The company isn’t
restricting this feature just to smartphones. It said that the
technology could also be used to log users into websites and web
services.
2. Sense ID by Qualcomm
According
to Qualcomm, this is the best fingerprint sensor in the market. Sense
ID is a new technology that uses ultrasound to read a person’s
fingerprint with greater accuracy and higher security. The best part
about the sensor? It is barely visible to the naked eye. The company has
found a great way to hide the ultrasound sensor. It’s not made up of a
different material to specially hide it. It follows the same basic
smartphone design which contains aluminum, glass, and plastic.
The
ultrasound penetrates deep into the skin and can detect the motion of
blood flow which can sense whether the fingerprint, is attached to a
living person. This can put an end to the typical Home button too as
manufacturers can embed the sensor in place of the button. The company
has partnered with FIDO and the IBIA and uses their own unique
technology. Qualcomm says that this sensor will be really hard to fool.
3. Samsung S6 Edge display
Samsung’s
latest offering, the S6 Edge is a feast for the eyes. It breaks all
barriers when the crisp display slides towards the sides. This time, the
company has completely focused on design and instead of having the
curved edge on just one side, as in the Galaxy Note Edge, Samsung has
provided it on both sides. The look and feel is significantly different
than the older Galaxy devices. This would be regarded as the most
distinctive smartphone in terms of appearance.
4. Lenovo Vibe Shot
Lenovo
made a tremendous improvement in the Lenovo Vibe Shot smartphone. The
rear side of the phone looks like a slim compact camera. It has a 16MP
rear camera with backside illuminated sensor for low light photography.
Standard fare, you might think. Well, the Lenovo Vibe Shot features a
dedicated physical button which comes with a two-stage shutter firing
mechanism. The halfway press locks the focus, just like you would with a
regular DSLR. There are three LED flash lights to give a more evenly
lit flash and the phone comes with optical image stabilisation as well.
You
also get a switch to go from the smart camera mode to a professional
mode. The smart mode keeps things in the automatic mode whereas the pro
mode lets you tweak the ISO, white balance, exposure and more. It offers
a similar sort of functionality seen in the erstwhile Nokia Lumia
1020. It also offers an 8MP front-facing camera.
Posted by : Gizmeon
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