Smartphones are everywhere, and they’re not done. It seems that everywhere you turn, there is someone browsing through the Internet on their smartphones. The evolution of smartphones has seemingly been fast and furious. Let’s take a quick look at the basic evolution of smartphones.

Smartphones are just a more sophisticated version of a cell phone. Cell phone, or mobile phone, technology has been in place since the 1940s. During World War II, many military outfits used mobile, hand-held, phones to coordinate attacks, airlifts, and troop movements. These rudimentary mobile phones relied on an antenna to provide signal transfer to another mobile phone device. As crude as these bulky and heavy mobile phones were, they were the forerunners to the smartphones of today.

In 1969, the U.S. government owned Amtrak, placed payphones on their commuter line from New York City to Washington D.C. These pay phones could be used while the train was in motion. This was the first major mobile phone operation to use the pinging system. The pay phones sent out a signal that attached to the towers that had been erected along the rail line. These pings, or signals, then were sent to the nearest phone switch and the call was made. By the mid 1980s, cellular phones were starting to pop up in high end vehicles such as Limousines. The technology was ready, but the signal towers had to be constructed.

Once the signal toward were in place, cell phone usage exploded. By the mid 1990s, it seemed that everyone had a cell phone and was using it constantly.  Cell phones started having awesome capabilities including the ability to play games, download ringtones, and send text messages.  All these features now are the norm.  Once 3G technology had been expanded, cell phones became able to connect to the Internet, and the idea of a smartphone was born. Now smartphones are outdoing themselves on a monthly basis. With the advent of NFC, or near field communication, smartphones are now capable of being swiped at a register, and the payment deducted from a credit card on file on your phone.