“The future of mobile devices is most brilliant when we imagine their potential to transform almost every aspect of our daily lives,” said Justin Kerr, vice president and general manager of Molex’s Micro Solutions Business Unit. “Different combinations of devices and form factors will emerge to drive life-changing innovations in connectivity, from new healthcare apps and smart home control panels to mobile payments and other possibilities limited only by our imaginations.”.
Dimensional Research conducted this survey in July 2021, polling 207 qualified participants representing mobile device OEMs and suppliers. A variety of questions were asked to identify features and timelines for future mobile devices, as well as to assess the growing impact of 5G and connectivity innovations, along with the barriers hindering overall progress.
No 'typical' mobile device in 2026.
Respondents were asked a series of questions to help visualize smartphones and mobile devices in 2026. While the responses identified various features, some of which are already available, others are likely further down the line. As a result, no single, universally accepted description of a typical mobile device in 2026 emerged.
The top five disruptive features most anticipated by respondents, ranked in order, are self-charging; holographic or projection displays; full recyclability; protection against solids and liquids (e.g., dust or water); and shatterproof displays. Also on the list are foldable devices, pop-up cameras, health biosensors, rollable devices, and device-display separation. Time will tell which features will achieve enough practical applications, market momentum, and customer traction to become standard within five years—or if they ever will.
According to the survey, form factors (e.g., screen size, shape, etc.) will also evolve over the next five years. While 90% of respondents expect devices to adopt different form factors, there was no consensus on whether they would be smaller, larger, or completely different. Nearly two-thirds of respondents believe that demand for novel wearables will grow, including smart clothing (40%), glasses (33%), headphones (29%), and smartwatches (29%). Typical consumers are likely to have more specialized devices by 2026, according to two-thirds of respondents. On the other hand, 64% believe that smartphones with integrated capabilities will minimize or replace the need for tablets.
Connectivity and 5G Lead Significant Innovations and Benefits.
Respondents were also asked to rank up to five of the top features expected to drive the most innovation in mobile devices by 2026. They cited data connectivity (42%), followed by wireless charging (36%), cameras (33%), Wi-Fi connectivity (28%), and integrated speakers (28%). Additionally, 82% expect consumers to benefit significantly from 5G-enabled mobile devices by 2026. Ultra-fast 5G, or mmWave, ranked first (42%) among the enabling technologies predicted to drive disruption in mobile device manufacturing, followed by bidirectional wireless charging, optical waveguides for smart glasses, cameras with wafer-level optics, and nanoscale or microscopic components.
Continued Focus on Solving Technological Challenges:
Among mobile device OEMs and their suppliers, technological challenges remain that could impact plans for manufacturing future mobile devices. According to respondents, the most difficult issues to address are 5G cellular connectivity performance (37%), high-speed wireless charging (37%), battery life (36%), sustainability (35%), and the inability to produce small components at the microscopic or nanoscale (27%).
