In this blog post, we’ll take a step-by-step look at the definition of smartphones, the background of their emergence, their impact on our lives, and their key features.

Definition and Perspectives on Smartphones

“Smartphone”—a portmanteau of the English words “smart” (clever, resourceful) and “phone” (telephone)—has become a staple in IT news. But what exactly is a smartphone?
Sources such as Wikipedia describe a smartphone as a mobile phone that offers functions similar to those of a PC, along with advanced features. It can be viewed as a phone running a full-fledged operating system that provides a standardized interface and platform for application developers, or as a phone equipped with advanced features such as email, internet access, e-book reading capabilities, a built-in keyboard, an external USB keyboard, and a VGA port. In other words, it can be understood as a small computer with phone capabilities.
Smartphones can connect directly to the wireless internet and access it through various browsers; users can create their own applications and customize their interface using multiple apps. The ability to share applications between smartphones running the same operating system is cited as an advantage that traditional feature phones lack.
Since the definition varies depending on one’s perspective, it is difficult to provide a clear, one-line definition. Some view smartphones as small computers before they are cell phones, and thus define them as “portable computers with phone capabilities.” However, based on current standards, it is reasonable to assume that a device must possess various additional functions beyond the basic calling capabilities of traditional feature phones to be called a smartphone.

Background and Popularization

The emergence of smartphones is closely linked to the rapid advancement of computer specifications. Historically, early, massive computers were miniaturized through the development of transistor and integrated circuit technology, shrinking to desktop-sized devices, which eventually made it possible to integrate computer functions into mobile phones.
For example, in 1992, IBM unveiled the “Simon,” a device resembling today’s smartphones. Although it was large and heavy, it supported a contact list, world time, a calculator, a notepad, text messaging, fax, games, and even a touchscreen—features that made it fully deserving of the title “smartphone” at the time. However, due to its weight and high cost, it failed to gain traction, and the smartphone industry entered a lull for some time.
The decisive turning point that accelerated the spread of smartphones was the launch of Apple’s “iPhone.” Apple unveiled its first model in 2007, and at first, it was perceived merely as a convenient device that added phone functionality to the iPod Touch. However, it established the basic framework—similar to today’s iPhone in terms of design and usability—and its widespread adoption truly took off with the release of the “iPhone 3” series in 2008.
Subsequently, with the successive launches of the “iPhone 4” and the “Galaxy S” series from domestic manufacturers, a smartphone craze swept through South Korea as well. For example, at the time of the “iPhone 4S” launch, demand was so strong that news reports showed long lines of people waiting to purchase the device in countries such as Japan and Australia.
The global spread of smartphones led to the rapid development of related industries. In particular, “applications” (apps) have become inseparable from smartphones.
An application is software designed for a specific purpose; functions we commonly use on smartphones—such as games, calendars, notepads, and household budget trackers—have each been developed as individual apps. To make full use of a smartphone, apps distributed by manufacturers or platform providers are essential.
As the importance of apps grew, individual programmers and small-scale development companies began to attract attention once again, and regions where the software industry had been in decline found an opportunity for recovery centered on the mobile software market. In South Korea, too, it was a major change to move beyond the past atmosphere where software development was looked down upon, leading to active participation by engineers in the field.

Advantages of Smartphones and Future Prospects

Smartphones have become one of the hottest buzzwords of the 21st century. As the definition suggests, the reason people are so enthusiastic about them is that smartphones can perform most of the functions a computer can. In terms of potential alone, they can perform almost everything.
However, while smartphones have limitations for tasks like document editing or work requiring large displays due to their small screen size, their overwhelming advantage over computers is portability. Although you can use a computer as a planner, the smartphone’s planner function is highly valued because it allows you to make notes anytime, anywhere.
Nearly every tool people carry is now being implemented in smartphones. It has become second nature to check a smartphone screen instead of a watch, and mobile games have formed a large market thanks to the convenience of being able to play them during commutes or while traveling. Furthermore, the e-book feature offers great practicality; for example, college students can read textbooks as PDFs stored on their smartphones instead of carrying heavy course books.
Today’s smartphones have become essential items used not only by the younger generation but by the majority of the population. In the future, smartphones that replace projector functions are expected to become widespread, and with improvements in battery performance, features that failed in the past may make a comeback. It will be interesting to see which smartphones will dominate the world within the next five years.