FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE (3/31/2018)
The
first cellphone call was 45 years ago
OKLAHOMA (March
30, 2018) On April 3, 1973, Motorola engineer Martin Cooper
stood in midtown Manhattan and placed a phone call to the headquarters
of Bell Labs in New Jersey1 from his new innovation, the first
cellular phone. This one act would forever change the way we communicate
allowing people to make calls from anywhere. During the
early years of cellphones, users handled expensive brick-like
devices that had a single function to make phone calls.
Cellphones
have since become integral to our lives with more functions including
cameras, text messaging and internet access. The vast majority
of Americans 95 percent currently own a cellphone,
according to Pew Research Center2. Meanwhile, a recent U.S. Cellular
survey3 found that 61 percent of respondents dont leave
home without their phone.
The evolution
of and increased reliance on cellphones has been revolutionary,
as you can now do almost anything on your phone. Some highlights
are:
1984: More than 10 years after Motorola's DynaTAC cellphone,
the first truly portable phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x, was
created and was made available to consumers, costing nearly $4,000
per device4. The device weighed more than two pounds and provided
users with 35 minutes of talk time5.
1985: U.S. Cellular begins serving customers in Oklahoma.
1989: The first flip phone was introduced the Motorola
MicroTAC. It was the first pocketsize phone and provided twice
the battery life, allowing for more than one hour of talk time.
1992: The first text message (Merry Christmas)
was sent. Soon after phones were introduced with full QWERTY keyboards,
the first of which was the Nokia Communicator 9000 released in
the mid-1990s6.
1993: The first smartphone was introduced by
IBM. The Simon Personal communicator could be used for calls,
faxes and text messages. It also featured a built-in calendar,
address book, notes folders and appointment scheduler.
2000: Sharp launched the first cellphone with a camera.
2007: Apples first iPhone was introduced and boasted
an all-in-one digital music player, camera and Internet-enabled
PDA device equipped with a touch interface that replaced the traditional
QWERTY keyboard.
2008: The first Android phone, the HTC Dream Slider, was
made available to consumers.
2010: The first 4G device was introduced in the U.S. The
HTC Evo7 offered a larger touchscreen, two cameras, GPS navigation,
HDMI output and mobile hotspot capability.
2017: The iPhone X offered the first facial recognition
security feature on smartphones.
As we
celebrate the 45th anniversary of the cellphone, its inspiring
to reflect on the past and exciting to imagine what the future
holds for the cellphone, said Jeff Heeley, director of sales,
corporate-owned channel for U.S. Cellular in Oklahoma. Coupled
with innovations such as augmented reality and smart technology,
the cellphone will continue to enhance the way we communicate.
U.S. Cellular
provides insight on newer trends and the future of mobile devices:
Smartphones:
The future of smartphones will most likely center on the devices
camera8 and how they can interact with people and spaces around
them. With the help of augmented reality (AR), home owners can
take a photo of a piece of furniture while shopping and then view
it as if they were sitting in their own living room with the click
of a button. Other possibilities could involve interactive experiences
at museums and retail stores allowing users to take a photo of
a display and see it come to life. Many tech industry experts
predict that AR will transform smartphones9.
Wearable devices: Today, 22 percent of smartphone owners
also own a wearable connected device, such as an Apple Watch,
Samsung Watch or Fitbit, and nearly 40 percent of respondents
surveyed by U.S. Cellular are considering purchasing such a device
in the coming year.10
Smart glasses: Apple reportedly is working on a pair of
consumer-friendly smart glasses11 that will come with the ability
to download AR apps onto them.
Virtual reality (VR): While VR technology isnt new
itself, affordable virtual reality headsets have transformed its
usage with new content being developed regularly.
1 CNet: The
First Call from a Cell Phone Was Made 40 Years Ago Today
2 Pew Research
Center: Mobile Fact Sheet
3 & 10
Between Nov. 8-17, 2017, a total of 706 online interviews were
conducted among a nationally representative sample by Consumer
Insights, in partnership with Maritz CX
4 Time: The
50 Most Influential Gadgets of All Time
5 Huffington
Post: For the Cell Phone's 40th Birthday, the 8 Most Important
Cell Phones Ever
6 Mashable:
A Brief History of Text Messaging
7 Wired: Wired
Explains: Everything You Need To Know About 4G Wireless
8 The New
York Times: The Smartphones Future: Its All about
the Camera
9 Computer
World: The Augmented Reality Boom Will Transform Phones (And Business)
11 Business
Insider: The Fight to Replace the iPhone and Other Smartphones
Is On - Here's What to Watch For in Round One
About U.S.
Cellular
U.S. Cellular
is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United
States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading
innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based
carrier offers coverage where the other carriers don't and a wide
range of communication services that enhance consumers lives,
increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the
efficiency of government operations. For the third time in a row,
U.S. Cellular has the Highest Wireless Network Quality Performance,
according to J.D. Powers twice-annual U.S. Wireless Network
Quality Performance Study, and 99 percent of customers have access
to 4G LTE speeds. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one
of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest
news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular,
Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.
###
For more information:
Lacey Boone,
Public Relations Counsel Katie Frey, Communications Manager
Saxum U.S.
Cellular
Phone: 918-851-2010
Phone: 773-355-3275
lboone@saxum.com
katie.frey@uscellular.com
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