Evolution of Android Phones

LOld School on 23/01/2013 - 20:48

Just noticed the latest phones announced in CES2013 packs HUGE 5" Full HD screen with quad core S4 Pro CPUs. Some will be packing Tegra 4 processors. In terms of hardware, CPU and GPU seems to be moving forward. My only concern will be the unwieldy 5 incher and mediocre battery life. Packing a full HD 5" display sucks power. So is a quad core CPU. Even a 3000 mAh will only provide 1 - 2 days of good use. The stellar hardware will not improve the end user experience, since all these processing power will not be used or felt in daily use, except in 3D heavy gaming.

That brings us to the question of apps and operating system. On that front,Android OS is improving leaps and bounds on each new release. Having used both Jelly Bean and iOS, my bet's on Android to take the lead moving forward as Google is more willing to take chances with their OS. Android's next release Lime Pie could usher in a new UI, maybe even some novel surprises here and there. Apple's iOS is aging fast and although well-polished, the 5 year old UI is in need of an urgent makeover.

I reckon Android phones will buck the "Bigger Screen is Better" design approach once new screen technology like IGZO goes mass market. A 4.3" Full HD screen seems like a sweet spot. Unibody contruction goes well to complement the premium look of any phone. I think dual-core CPU is more than enough to power the next generation phones. Rather than more cores, one can improve on the architecture and manufacturing process - a strategy used by Apple to make A6 CPUs. At the moment, I think Apple got the best combination of hardware and software, although I strongly believe Android phones are positioned to take the lead going into the near future.

What do you guys think? What do you want in your ideal phone?

Mobile

Comments

  • Kelvin H. on 23/01/2013 - 21:16
    +1

    For battery life, I reckon as long as they last throughout the day it will be fine - I always have my Nexus S plugged in before I go to sleep which I believe is the same for the majority of smartphone users. Keep in mind that these multi-core CPU's (hear about the supposed octa-core Exynos 5 in the Galaxy S IV?) also have power-saving features such as turning off cores when not needed so that shouldn't be an issue.

  • scrimshaw on 23/01/2013 - 21:25
    +1

    Battery technology hasn't really kept up with CPU/GPU/AMOLED display advancements.

    The current solution for a short battery life is to simply manufacture a bigger battery and hope that the consumer is satisfied with it.

    Of course, bigger batteries means the battery has to be physically large as well, meaning the phone has to be 4-5 inches in size. It's also costly to produce, so high end smartphones packing large batteries usually cost upwards of $400-500.

    What we need is more efficient batteries, and less emphasis on CPU/GPU power. Unless you're big on mobile gaming it makes little sense for your phone to be as powerful as a game console.

  • ozhunter on 23/01/2013 - 22:59

    A 4.3" Full HD screen seems like a sweet spot

    Says who? S3 and Note 2 are selling very well. No doubt when Apple makes a 4.7+inch screen, it would sell.

    although I strongly believe Android phones are positioned to take the lead going into the near future.

    What do you mean take the lead? Since Apple is the only company that sells iOS devices, they get all the profits. Since many manufacturers use android the profits are divided among them.

    What do you want in your ideal phone?

    The Xperia Z with direct updates and good battery life.

    • Old School on 24/01/2013 - 10:39

      In terms of screen size, I believe it is the resolution and pixel density that counts. Furthermore, the screen quality itself is important. For example, Samsung GS3 uses a pentile display - that means you can see PIXELs on your screen, even if it is full HD resolution. Something like an Super LCD2 display on HTC One X is much better. The Android phones needs to be big because they house quad cores and heat dissipation is an issue. See Anantech's article on the CPUs (posted on reply below).

      In terms of Android phones taking the lead, I meant technological leadership, not business profit.

      • ozhunter on 24/01/2013 - 10:56

        You're saying a 440ppi screen(full HD 5inch) isn't good enough and it needs to be 512ppi(full HD 4.3in)? My phone at 318 ppi seems very sharp.

        How do you know you can see the pixels if the S3 had a full HD display, even it is pentile? I agree the HTC One X screen is better than the S3.

        The Android phones needs to be big because they house quad cores and heat dissipation is an issue.

        Who said it needs to be big? Not many apps at all use all 4 cores. It does have the potential to reach higher temperatures, doesn't mean it's the reason why many Android phones are big.
        http://www.gsmarena.com/meizu_mx_4_core-4697.php

        • Old School on 24/01/2013 - 11:36

          You can definitely see pixels on S3. But it is not a huge disadvantage, as most of the time you probably won't notice it, unless it is next to a HTC one X or iPhone.

          http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/25/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-revi…

          Any screen with 300 ppi is already enough, since our human eyes probably can't tell the difference. The point that I was trying to make is that there are many Android phones out there having large screens but either still qHD or lower resolution. Bigger screen does not always = better quality.

          You are right in saying 4 cores phones do not need to be big, they just have awful battery lives in small form factors. I personally have used a Meizu MX4 before and I can tell you they have definitely traded battery life to remain small.

        • ozhunter on 24/01/2013 - 11:47

          From reviews of the htc droid dna and xperia z, the display looks much better, so I think our eyes can definitely tell the difference.

          On the S3 at 720p you can see pixels. You said you can see it at 1080p, dunno where you got that from, sounds like you just making stuff up.

        • Old School on 24/01/2013 - 17:49

          I never said S3 was 1080p, I said even IF it was 1080p, you can still see pixel. I think you do not understand that pentile displays will be pixelated regardless of the resolution. It is the nature of the technology. Don't take my word for it, do some reading yourself.

  • Ramrunner on 24/01/2013 - 08:55
    +1

    That said the big.Little designs (Cortex A15 and Cortex A7 I believe) in the new ARM processors coming out soon (they suspect Samsung will be first) are claimed to give us up to 70% more power, by having the fastest processor available, able to play an MP3 with only 10Hz, AND dropping back to the integrated A7 which is one of the most power frugal on the planet for all the mundane tasks. Much like the current Tergra 4+1 design, but even better!

    I'll believe 70% when I see it, but I'd be happy with 40-50%.

    But, also having said that, it is a rare occasion my phone is completely out before I charge it at night.

    • Old School on 24/01/2013 - 10:31

      Have a read on Anantech's comprehensive review of Cortex A15, Atom and Tegra cores.

      http://www.anandtech.com/show/6536/arm-vs-x86-the-real-showd…

      Seems like all of them are comparable in terms of power efficiency but A15 and Intel does chew up quite some juice and heat will be a problem. Based on the article, it would suggest Intel will be the one potentially transforming the entire mobile landscape with their core architecture.

      In 3 - 4 years time, Intel will be able to shove something equivalent to current day Sandy Bridges into your mobile phone. Truly remarkable and crazy at the same time.

  • Noblejoker on 24/01/2013 - 10:25

    Similar to laptop design timeline I believe. Only in recent years have we had machines reach a level of power sufficient for most uses and the focus has turned to portability and battery life. I believe most of the feature goldrush in the near future will be on usability and design including battery life - which is really the only thing my phone (nexus) is deficient in now

    • Old School on 24/01/2013 - 10:44
      +1

      Unfortunately, based on my limited knowledge, the most innovative battery tech ready for mass production will only be able to provide ~20 - 30% more efficiency. There are ones in the pipeline that will give 50% improvement but it will be some years away. Best bet is to have power-efficient components, CPU/GPU and screen being the major ones. Perhaps when we hit 10 - 15nm manufacturing capacity, things will get interesting.

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