5.2 Directional Innovation in Smartphones
Marcos Antonio de Lima Filho, PhD.
Manufacturers have stabilised the basic configuration of smartphones during the past decade. Since 2014, the touchscreen slate form factor has accounted for more than 95% of models. Despite this apparent stagnation, evolution continued with a series of incremental changes. The pattern of directional innovation repeats numerous times in various product dimensions: display size and resolution, CPU, memory, storage, camera, and battery. Directional innovation can be identified in both categorical (discrete) and numerical (continuous) variables. The previous chapter showed that several new features had gained momentum, which is often followed by an increase in adoption (directional innovation), and then stabilisation.
Directional innovation can also be verified within numerical variables. Instead of categories, such variables comprise units of measurement (e.g., dimensions, gigabytes, megapixels), ratios (screen-to-body), and benchmark scores. The following graphs show that users have valued extreme values, thus pushing innovation towards extreme directions. As a result, the market has seen an increase in smartphones’ display (Figure 5.2.1), CPU speed (Figure 5.2.2), battery capacity (Figure 5.2.5), memory and storage (Figure 5.2.6), and camera sensors (Figure 5.2.7).
Although these innovations may appear incremental, they have provided users with improved and more affordable smartphones. Consumers sometimes express concerns about seemingly minor design changes between product generations. Nevertheless, the results indicate that such incremental improvements, when accumulated over multiple generations, result in more significant changes (Tables 5.2.1 and 5.2.2).
Display Technology
The evolution of mobile handset displays can be divided into two distinct periods. Between 2000 and 2006, display sizes experienced a reduction, largely due to the emergence and widespread adoption of flip phones. These compact designs favoured smaller displays, which contributed to the overall decline in display sizes during this period. However, in 2007, the launch of the first iPhone marked a turning point in the trend (Figure 5.2.1). With the emergence of the touchscreen slate design, smartphone displays began to grow in size, and screen-to-body ratios increased as well.
The screen-to-body ratio is a metric used to determine the proportion of a device’s front face occupied by the display. It is calculated by dividing the display area by the total front area of the device. A higher ratio indicates that a larger portion of the device’s front face is dedicated to the display, resulting in a more immersive user experience. From 2007 onwards, there has been a significant 170% increase in mobile phone display sizes and screen-to-body ratios (Figure 5.2.2) as shown in Table 5.2.1.
The data indicates that consumers have embraced these trends, leading to a shift in the average screen sizes and screen-to-body ratios towards higher values. The market’s preference for larger displays and slimmer bezels has exerted a negative pressure on “unfit” models, which could not keep up with the evolving technological landscape. Consequently, smaller smartphones have experienced a decline in popularity, eventually leading to their extinction in the market. This dynamic illustrates the ongoing process of market selection, where innovative features that meet user preferences are favoured, while devices that fail to adapt are gradually phased out.
CPU Clock & Performance
The average CPU clock speeds in smartphones have experienced consistent growth, with an annual increase of 17% on average, as shown in Figure 5.2.3. This continuous improvement has led to a substantial cumulative impact: since 2000, the average clock speed has increased by 2646% (Table 5.2.2). However, clock speeds alone do not provide a comprehensive picture of the advancements made in CPU technology. Focusing solely on clock speeds can obscure how the semiconductor industry has advanced in terms of lithographic processes, efficiency, and the development of multi-core chips. CPU performance, for example, has been increasing at a much faster rate than CPU clock speeds.
For this reason, GeekBench 5 is used here (Figure 5.2.4). This benchmark provides a comparative basis to analyse system performance across devices, processor architectures, and operating systems. However, Geekbench 5 is incompatible with devices released before 2013, so data for the years 2000-2012 is unavailable.
Since 2013, the average performance benchmark scores for smartphones have increased by a staggering 524% (Figure 5.2.4 and Table 5.2.2). This was made possible by a series of disruptive innovations in CPU mass-production processes: the technology node has shrunk from 180nm (nanometers) in 2000 to just 5nm in 2020.
Battery Capacity
The early success of cellular phones was hindered by their limited battery life, which led to rapid advancements in battery technology and reduced power consumption (Haskel, 2004). However, smartphones are more susceptible to battery life issues than feature phones; for example, some Nokia mobile phones could last a week with normal usage. In the quest for greater computational power and larger displays, smartphone battery life was somewhat compromised. As smartphones became increasingly feature-rich, users started using them more frequently and for extended periods, resulting in a growing demand for larger batteries (Figure 5.2.5).
RAM Memory & Storage
As smartphones have become faster, the need for higher and faster memory and storage capacity has grown exponentially (Figure 5.2.6). This decades-long growth in RAM memory and storage capacity can be attributed to the continuous demand for smartphones capable of handling more complex tasks, such as high-quality gaming, augmented reality, video editing, and multitasking. Faster CPUs also require faster and lower latency memory; otherwise, performance bottlenecks may arise. Moreover, as the quality of multimedia content has improved, the demand for larger storage capacities has also increased to accommodate these files without compromising device performance.
Camera Resolution
Manufacturers have been competing to deliver better camera quality to meet consumer demands, leading to the development of advanced camera technologies such as multi-lens systems, enhanced image stabilisation, and improved low-light performance. This competition has driven innovation in smartphone cameras, resulting in a consistent increase in average image sensor resolutions (Figure 5.2.7). Over the years, smartphones have emerged as viable alternatives to point-and-shoot digital cameras (Figure 7.8.1). The market for digital cameras was severely disrupted due to incremental innovations in image sensors. Directional Innovation in Smartphones discusses the creative destruction caused by the evolution of smartphone cameras (Section 7.8).
Last updated
