Has the mobile phone industry peaked?

[EKBB]

Can you keep your number if you change from a contract to sim only?

 

[J_H1872]

Recently kept my 6s after contract expiry, not bothered one bit about latest models. The days of the 'must have the latest iPhone' seem to be a thing of the past, from the folk I talk to anyway.

 

[Sheik Ma Shammy]

I'm still using the LG g3 covers all my needs. I have had lots of different phones in the past android and apple but do not see the sense of upgrading just to upgrade.

 

[TQ3]

Can you keep mobile number if going to sim only deal ?

Yes, if you change provider, you ask them for a PUK code, (well the last time I did it, it was a PUK code, it maybe called something else.) otherwise your provider will just change your plan to sim-only.

 

[dougsdir24]

Can you keep your number if you change from a contract to sim only?

Of course!
Ive had the same phone (Sony Xperia) for over 2 years. To be fair only a dwindling battery would make me change it.

 

[SoGo]

Cash will always be needed in some places

The guy who cleans my windows doesn't take contactless

Not to mention the Black Cab drivers who's card machine is "broken" again

But yes I agree, the sooner we can ditch cash the better. The kiosk at the game would be a good start and might help the queues

They will take contactless soon. We have an app here called Swish which allows you to transfer money easily to anyone. I said sorry to a Big Issue (the Swedish version) seller a few months ago as I had no cash and he only responds with "I can take credit card or Swish if you want"

 

[Special One]

the phone industry itself peaked about 2001 when the market became saturated. everything since then has been retention.

the same arguments about upgrades goes back that far as well
people were tripping over themselves to upgrade from 3210's to 3310's, and there was very little difference between the 2

 

[The Doctor]

I have this theory that some of the automatic "upgrades" that we get every now and then are actually downgrades that make your phone perform worse than they previously had.
This makes you believe that the phone is performing badly as it is now old, which makes you think that a new phone would be the best idea.
Makes perfect sense to me

 

[kingstonbear]

I have this theory that some of the automatic "upgrades" that we get every now and then are actually downgrades that make your phone perform worse than they previously had.
This makes you believe that the phone is performing badly as it is now old, which makes you think that a new phone would be the best idea.
Makes perfect sense to me

I agree, if not deliberately affect performance, they seem to affect the battery life. Not sure that's the aim but it does appear to be new features or changes have an impact

 

[Banjobear]

I've had my iPhone 6 for well over 2 years. I've no intention of changing it anytime soon. SIM only contract suits me. Most people I know have gone to SIM only and only upgrade to reconditioned phones, saving a fortune in the process.

 

[Morelos20]

I don't know much about it granted but don't see what else they can add to smart phones that they don't already do.

For example are the benefits of an iPhone 8 much greater than a 4?

 

[AvochBlue]

I only change phone if current one breaks.
I prob get 3 years a go for a handset.

 

[bluelacoste]

Been thinking about going sim only at my next upgrade, not due for another 9 months but still fed up getting hit with a 40-50 quid a month for the latest phone. More so now that Samsung have went the same route as Apple and sealing up the phone.
I still have my S3 and S5 which have decent batter life in it. Actually took out the S5 last week to update so my wee lad could watch videos and play games when connected to wifi or tv programmes off the memory card.

 

[Northhiglander]

I think we're reaching a point where there's not a great deal more that phones can do, or that we can imagine them doing.

If you go back 15-20 years when folk had Nokia 3310s, people would think "wouldn't it be great if this had a colour screen?", or if you could make video calls to people, or browse the internet lightning quick, or watch TV shows on your phone. Those were the things people wanted, it just took a few years for the technology to deliver it, which it did several years later in the form of smartphones and wi-fi internet.

But what do we want the phones of the 2020s and 2030s to do that can't already be done? I'm struggling to think.

An iPhone battery that would last about a week between charges would be nice!

Phones will continue to advance. the next area will be augmented reality, when visiting somewhere the camera when pointed at something will tell you all about it for example. When you go into a shop you will get voucher codes straight on your phone, these are areas of definite improvement. Battery technology is improving as well, solid state batteries will change phones as well, giving much longer battery life. Foldable screens will mean the phone will become your laptop / tablet, one multifunctional device. Lots of other ways this will change.