Need-to-know Guide On Touch Phone Technology

By Author: Lucy Carter
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Touch screen phones are part of the smartphone revolution - this new generation technology, first introduced in 2007, delivers advanced software in mobile phones which allows you to use them for an exciting range of functions.

Because of their sophisticated computing ability and connectivity, smartphones are like owning a computer tidily packed into your mobile phone. Touch screen technology is fast becoming a must rather than a luxury as once people get used to it, it's far more convenient and speedy to use fingers instead of keypads. These days most mobile phone developers are bringing out their own models.

The following guide will help you understand exactly what touch screen phones are all about, so you can decide for yourself whether they warrant the hype.

Mobile Technology - How It Works

The main thing to get to grips with is that touch screen mobiles use two types of technologies - capacitive and resistive:

Capacitive

Touch phones that use this technology entail the panel consisting of an insulating glass coated with a conductor. This type of smartphone works by detecting changes ...
... in the air's electrostatic field and sending this signal to its controller for processing. Since the human body itself has an electrical charge, the fingers create the needed electrostatic friction to kick-start the electrical input as you touch the screen. Many companies have the opinion that this technology is more responsive to input commands than the resistive version.

Resistive

Touch screen mobile phones using resistive technology have several thin layers of panel, including two metallic conductors, separated by a small gap. The way they work is when an object touches the smartphone screen, the two metallic parts connect and create a change in the electrical current. These changes are registered by the controller and are then processed as your data input. Resistive mobiles allow you to use any object for inputting data, like the stylus, unlike capacitive phones which require the natural electrostatic charge of the human body to register touch.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Pros

It must be said that the main attraction for many people to touch screen phones is aesthetic - quite simply it's a cool accessory to have and use. Touch phones tend to be smooth and sleek, as well as compact in size. Another advantage is that they have a bigger screen which allows for easy access to the range of multi-media functions constantly being introduced on mobiles. There is no space wasted on keypads, allowing a wider area to view photographs, video clips, TV programmes and even whole films. Rather than the previous mobiles which had a number of buttons that could sometimes be awkward to handle, touch phones have all their functions conveniently accessible in the central screen, apart from the camera button. As for texting and emailing, touch screens are highly flexible in allowing you to type on a traditional virtual keyboard or to choose the letters in ABD order, depending on your preferences.

Cons

Some people complain that touch screen phones are too sensitive - often without even fully touching the screen a function can be activated. This can be very irritating, especially if your finger hovers by mistake over the delete button and you end up throwing away a text or email. Another complaint about touch phones is that users miss the traditional keypads where you can text by touch alone, which can be highly useful in the cinema when you can't see or while watching TV. Some people simply find it hard to text without the feel of their finger physically pushing a button. There are mobile companies already addressing this by developing 'haptic feedback', which gives the impression of depressing a button on the virtual screen. This however has not yet been perfected; for now many companies remedy this by giving users the choice to have a mild vibration activated every time you press a function.

Things to Come

Mobile phone technology is developing at a rapid speed. The latest touch phone software incorporates motion sensor technology when you play certain games. This means that by turning and tilting the phone you feel as if you're integrated with the movements of the game. This type of application is advancing fast, with new games being introduced over the next two years. The growth in popularity of touch screen mobiles will also see more companies developing their own models with more enhanced features than what is currently available, The strong competition in the marketplace will not only see improvements, but will drive the prices lower than the present standard for this technology. Another interesting advancement unveiled in February 2009 at the Mobile World Congress is a touch screen phone powered by solar cells. This eco-friendly product was even made using plastic recycled from water bottles.

All in all, the touch phone is fast becoming standard in mobile phone technology. While their sensitivity might take some getting used to in the beginning, more and more people report that ultimately they find it more user friendly than traditional keypad phones.
Barry Knightly owns a touch phone retail and repair outlet.