How far have we come?

Mar 30, 2023, 13:29 IST

Wion Web Desk

50 years of cell phone

Mar 30, 2023, 13:29 IST

Wion Web Desk

First portable cell phone was invented in 1973 by Motorola.

Motorola Engineer Martin Cooper made the first-ever cell phone call on April 3. It was a clunky device that offered a talk time of just 30 minutes and required 10 hours to charge. 

Cell phone revolution

Cell phones became popular during the cellular revolution which started in the 90s and by 1990, the number of mobile users was around 11 million. By 2020, this number grew to a whopping 2.5 billion. 

The first Nokia phone 

In 1987, Nokia launched its first mobile phone, the Mobira Cityman 900. This was considered expensive and exclusive mostly to the elite class. 

First smartphone & touchscreen phone

The touchscreen phones that we use today were first released back in 1994 by IBM, called Simon. It was the first device to feature apps and a touchscreen. 

Launch of the 3G network 

The launch of the third-generation mobiles in 1998 was another milestone in the mobile network. The custom ringtones were also released the same year.

How people became addicted to cell phones?

Soon cell phones started replacing all other devices like calculators, cameras, and fax machines including other items like dictionaries. It became easier for people to carry one electronic instead of a bunch of devices and cell phone became their world. 

What 'Father of the cell phone' said after 50 years of his invention? 

Martin Cooper said that people look too much into their phones and advised them to take their eyes off mobile phones for some time. He also warns that in the future humans might have devices embedded under their skin. 

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