The upwardly mobile tech revolution

From communication to content creation, business and leisure, the invention of the mobile phone completely altered the way we live and work. Our approach to learning, banking, navigating, listening to music, and falling in love all started to change on April 3 1973.

This was when Motorola’s Martin Cooper made the first ever call on a cell phone on Sixth Avenue in New York City. The prototype he used to ring Bell Labs HQ went on to become the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x – the first of its kind when it came to market a decade later.

By the ‘90s, cell phone calls had overtaken those on landlines. And as mobile use increased, functionality also grew. By the time the smartphone made its debut in 2007, designs condensed phone, camera, calendar, maps and music player into one handheld device. By acting for companies who manufacture components for smartphones, Abel + Imray is proud to play a part in an industry that constantly breaks new ground.

It’s hasn’t been all good news, however. Studies have shown that mobile phone use in schools can hamper productivity and academic performance, while our culture of ‘upgrading’ means on average we replace our mobiles every 11 to 18 months, creating a major waste issue. Today, manufacturers such as Apple Inc. are developing new ways to re-use and recycle old phones.