The Cell Phone's 40th Birthday: From Two Pounds to Four Ounces

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the first ever cell phone call. Marty Cooper, an engineer for Motorola, made the very first cell phone call on April 3, 1973 to his competitor at Bell Labs. It appears that cell phones have been used to share achievements and brag to colleagues and friends way before Facebook mobile.
In an era defined by the iPhone, of which the most recent release weighs exactly 3.95 ounces, remembrance of the first call made on a 2.5 pound Motorola DynaTAC 8000x is a sobering experience. Now that apps are replacing electronic devices, such as guitar tuners and GPS devices, cell phones have snowballed into ubiquitous computing devices that have changed our world.

For some context regarding how far we've come in terms of mobile communication and computing, let us take a brief look at the maturation of the world's most beloved consumer electronic device:

• Motorola DynaTAC 8000x: Weighing in at 2.5 lbs. with 30 minutes of talk time with a required 10 hours to recharge and available for $3,995. The prototype of this model was used in 1973 for the first cell phone call but was not commercially available until 1983.

• Motorola MicroTAC: Released in 1989, one of the world's first flip phones. Substantially smaller than the DynaTAC 8000x an under a pound, the MicroTAC also had an increased battery life up to an hour and a half of talking time.

• Nokia 1011: The world's first GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) phone was released in 1992 by Nokia. The signature Nokia tune ringtone did not come about until the release of the Nokia 2100 in 1994 which sold 20 million units.

• Kyocera 6035: In 2001 the world's first smartphone with an operating system built by Palm. The Kyocera 6035 was one of the first phones with built in apps (for stock trades, movie times, and flight information).

• BlackBerry 5810: Prior devices by RIM were glorified pagers, but the BlackBerry 5810, released in 2002, was the first true BlackBerry device. With integrated email functionality, calendar functions and a selection of primitive apps, the device was a business user's best friend.

• Treo 650: With increased memory, more interactive apps, a built in camera as well as touch screen capability, the Treo 650 was a definite sign of things to come.

• iPhone 5: Slated as one of the most impactful electronic devices in history, Steve Jobs brain child has not only impacted the technological community but the device is a cultural gem in the United States and worldwide. More powerful than the computer on the Apollo 11 space craft, the device has come a long way from the DynaTAC 8000x.

Who would have thought that within 40 years a cell phone could evolve from only making calls for 30 minutes to providing users with streaming feature length films on apps like SnagFilms. As we ponder the future of mobility, it will be interesting to see the evolution of cell phones on its 80th birthday and which future device makes the iPhone 5 look as archaic as the DynaTAC 8000x.

Icreon Tech is an IT consulting firm based in NYC. We have worked with prolific enterprises such as Pepsi Co., New York Road Runners, National Geographic and more. Take a look at our services and speak with one of our consultants today: http://www.icreon.us.

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