At the dawn of the mobile era in Russia, phones were still divided into mobile and cellular. However, fifteen years ago these two definitions could be attributed to dialects: it is known that in St. Petersburg the name “mobile” was more often used, while the Moscow region preferred “cellular” phones. Today, both terms can be found in official documents, company catalogs, and advertising offers, and people do not differentiate between them, because there is no serious alternative to these devices that would force a more demanding approach to terminology. However, in fact, we can say that cell phones are to mobile phones as the particular is to the general. True, not every cell phone is a mobile phone, but not every mobile phone is a cell phone.

Definition

Mobile phone- a portable device for transmitting primarily voice messages via radio communication.

Cell phone- a telephone operating on certain radio frequencies in networks cellular communication.

Comparison

If we consider the concept of “mobile phone” in an unconventionally broad way, then we must include in this group any means of communication that works when moving over significant distances. Radiotelephones, satellite phones, and devices for VoIP telephony are considered mobile - any, the movement of which is not limited in space. This group also includes field telephones - the first mobile phones, although, unlike modern ones, they are also wired. Cellular phones are a much narrower subgroup: radio communication in this case is carried out by connecting to a cellular network. The service is provided by an operator or provider.

Field telephone TA-57 (a type of mobile)

One of the main differences cell phone from any other mobile phones - the ability to work regardless of location. Cellular phones are not connected to a single base station, like radiotelephones, and are not configured to receive a signal from satellite equipment, but freely switch to the base station in whose area they find themselves. Satellite phones are capable of providing communication where there are no base cellular stations.

With some stretch, mobile phones can include any mobile device that performs the task of transmitting sound over a significant distance via electrical signals. Unlike, for example, walkie-talkies, cell phones involve the use of third-party switching equipment provided by the operator.

Today, due to the popularity of cellular communications, the boundaries between the definitions of “mobile” and “cell phone” are practically erased, and the average user forgets that mobile communication can be provided not only by a familiar mobile phone.

Conclusions website

The mobile phone group includes many devices, including cell phones.
Not every cell phone is a mobile phone.
The cell phone only works on cellular networks.
Cell phones can switch between base stations, while the rest mobile devices one base required.
All cell phones require connection to a carrier switch.

Recently, people have ceased to understand the difference between a smartphone and a regular one. mobile phone. This is due to the fact that smartphones have become the most popular product for quite some time. They are the ones that sell best now. And people began to forget about ordinary cell phones. They began to believe that they simply did not exist anymore, that smartphones had replaced mobile phones. But this is absolutely not true!

Let's start with the fact that before there were no smartphones. Just remember 1987, when Nokia released a simple phone called Mobira Cityman 900. It was a real brick - heavy and big. And nothing better existed on the market at that moment. It's hard to believe, but phones of those years couldn't even send and receive SMS! Moreover, it took them a while to even get a contact book!

In the 90s, only people could be called smart desktop computers and laptops. One could only dream of all kinds of smartphones and tablets, or observe their use in the Star Trek series - its creators literally predicted the future.

The breakthrough came only in 2001, when it was released Nokia 9210 Communicator. It was one of the first smartphones. Symbian OS 6.0 was installed on it as an operating system, and the device could also please with a full-fledged QWERTY keyboard. The popularity of the model was such that in the future almost everyone began to be called a communicator. portable devices, equipped with smart functionality and a slot for a SIM card. In particular, this was the name for devices with Windows Mobile on board.

operating system

As you have already begun to understand, a cell phone differs from a smartphone in the absence of a real operating system. Instead, mobile phones use the simplest firmware, the functionality of which cannot be seriously expanded. Such software only supports the installation of Java applications, the functionality of which is severely limited in many aspects. But there are also exceptions. For example, in the mid-2000s, mobile phones were popular Siemens, on which, using a computer, it was possible to install certain plugins developed by third parties. Such extensions provided the phone owner with new functions, and sometimes even increased the amount of memory.

Modern and old smartphones run the following operating systems:

There are some other mobile operating systems, but they are much less common. For example, the operating system was never able to gain popularity Firefox OS. Well regular phone differs in that its manufacturer does not focus on the name of the firmware - only its version can be viewed on the device itself.

Device design

In fact, the differences lie not only in the software, but also in the design of the gadgets. Previously, all mobile phones had a mechanical keyboard - most often digital, but sometimes QWERTY. But now you can also find mobile phones with touch display- in particular, this applies to devices based on firmware Bada, support for which was closed recently. That is, we can say that the lines between mobile phones and smartphones have blurred in this regard. But this is not entirely true.

Go to the official website of the manufacturer and check out technical characteristics devices. If it is a mobile phone, then they will not tell you about the volume RAM, nor about the processor being used. The fact is that these are very important values for a smartphone, because the speed of its operation depends on them. And simple mobile phones function reliably even with the weakest components.

Other differences

Let's go back to software. As we already mentioned, traditional cell phones even support the installation additional programs, then only in the form of strictly limited Java applications. And if you have a smartphone in your hands, then you can install more advanced programs and games written in completely different code. For example, for Hundreds of applications have been developed that have the extension .sys or .sysx. Well, Android is rich in tens and even hundreds of thousands of very good programs with the extension .apk- you can download them in the company’s online store Google Play.

Also, smartphones and phones differ in price. Back in the early 2010s, the former were much more expensive than the latter. But gradually the price of components began to fall, and therefore smartphones began to cost less. But the difference is still felt. For now, push-button devices are the cheapest. Touchscreen mobile phones are already a little more expensive; their cost is close to budget smartphones based on Android. Because of this, they are becoming less and less popular and finding them on store shelves is becoming more and more difficult every day.

Summing up

These are the most noticeable differences between smartphones and mobile phones. Due to the reduction in the cost of production of components, the latter are gradually losing their popularity. It is possible that in the future only Androids and other smart devices will remain in stores, since the point of purchasing a low-functional cell phone will simply disappear.

Often users who plan to buy new phone or switching from a push-button to a touchscreen model, asking what is the difference between a smartphone and an Android? If you dig deeper, the question may seem incorrect, since Android is the operating system on which many phone models run today, and the smartphone itself is a gadget that runs on the operating system. In addition to calls and SMS, it is capable of performing the functions of a pocket computer, so in this article we will look at how smartphones running other OS differ from Android devices.

Advantages of Android over other smartphones

Now you know what an Android phone is, since we have already figured it out. This is a device that runs under the OS of the same name. But how does it stand out from other operating systems and why are Android gadgets so popular today?

The operating system has a number of differences, the most noticeable of which are:

These are the main features that distinguish an Android phone. At the same time, the gadget also offers flexible settings, but some users note that it is difficult to configure the device. WITH basic functions It's easy to work in the Settings menu. The OS also differs in that it can scale Internet pages, play Flash videos, etc.

Windows smartphones and gadgets running Android OS

What is the difference between Android and Windows is a question that is no less popular today than the constant debate about Android and iOS. Both manufacturers offer both budget and expensive devices, and also brings to the market models with different functions and design. What's the difference?

Almost all developers of other mobile operating systems (including Windows) do not allow editing in the code. Users receive significant changes in settings only after downloading official updates.

In addition, very few applications have been developed for Windows, so users complain that the company store lacks software (readers, players), games, and Google services Sometimes they don't sync well or don't work. But in latest models both problems are practically solved.

Differences between iOS and Android

No less popular request– What is the difference between an iPhone and an Android smartphone? After all, a gadget that runs on iOS, i.e. a full-fledged operating system, can also be called a smartphone. Today, the word “iPhone” has practically become a household word, and the word “smartphone” is practically not used in relation to Apple devices.

In addition to the fact that using an iPhone is fashionable, you also need to take into account the advantages of the OS on these devices, thanks to which some users love iOS so much. Before buying an iPhone or Android smartphone, you need to understand the main differences, the main ones of which are:

Previously, another strong argument in favor of Android was the price, but today, among the latest powerful models from Samsung, Sony and HTC, you can find many devices that are only slightly cheaper than an iPhone. On the other hand, in the budget and mid-price segment, Android has firmly taken the leading position; Android phones are bought by those who care about the quality of the camera, screen, and processor speed, but who are not ready or do not consider it necessary to pay $700-1000 for telephone.

09. 06.2017

Blog of Dmitry Vassiyarov.

What is a smartphone and how does it differ from a mobile phone and a PDA?

Hi all. Just 10 years ago, the process of buying a mobile phone was much simpler, because many new types of gadgets have appeared on the modern market and each can have several names. How to understand them? It's easy if you read this article.

From it you will learn what a smartphone is and how it differs from a mobile phone, communicator and PDA.

Mobile phone VS smartphone

For everything to fall into place, you need to start with what a mobile phone is. This is a radio-based device that allows access to subscriber lines without the use of a cable, as required by a regular landline telephone.

Mobile phones are primarily intended for making calls and sending/receiving SMS. Their functionality can be supplemented with simple options: calendar, alarm clock, calculator, etc.

The term “smartphone” is literally translated from English language like a smart phone. This definition and explains its difference from a mobile phone. How is he smarter?

It has a developed operating system, like a computer, which allows you to install third-party applications.

This option is not available on mobile phones. Perhaps it is available on some, but with greater restrictions. The most popular operating systems for smartphones now are iOS (only for Apple products), Android (used by many modern brands) and Windows Phone(mostly found on gadgets from Microsoft, Nokia, rarely on others).

By the way, about applications. Only those developed using Java technology work in mobile phones, and programs in binary code are released for smartphones, just like for computers. As you can imagine, they can do more and look better. Many people use smart phones for games, because the graphics of these devices are much more realistic.
It is equipped with an expanded set of functions: a high-quality camera, various options for playing clips, can show the weather, operate as a GPS navigator, etc.

Allows you to fully enjoy high-speed Internet access. If in mobile phones it was used for this purpose only mobile network, then the smartphone, in addition to it, makes it possible to connect to world wide web via Wi-Fi, 3G and . It can also be used as a modem to surf the Internet
Has increased RAM. For clarity: the RAM of the first mobile phones was calculated in kilobytes, now smartphones have an average of 2 gigabytes of RAM.
On your smartphone, you can synchronize your data using account with other devices.

A little history

The term "smartphone" was first used by Ericsson in 2000 to refer to one of its products, the R380s. By the standards of that time, it had surprisingly small dimensions (130x51x26 mm) and weight (164 g), a touchscreen and a hinged cover (flip).

By calling it a “smartphone,” the manufacturer wanted to emphasize the increased intelligence of its development. However, it is incorrect to classify it as this type of device, since it was closed to third-party applications.

The concept of "iPhone"

There are people, and not only from the older generation, who confuse the concepts of smartphone and iPhone. Let's look at this simple question together.

iPhone is the proper name for smartphones released by Apple. If you see a smartphone with a “bitten apple” logo, you have an iPhone in front of you.

In addition to this symbol, it has the following characteristic features:

has reliable and high-quality iron;
equipped with a non-removable battery;
does not have a slot for a memory card;
works exclusively for operating system iOS, developed by the same brand;
The system is protected from viruses, unlike android.

However, all these benefits come at a price.

Differences between a smartphone and a communicator and PDA

Pocket personal computer(PDA) is the same computer, only in a smaller form. In the era of popularity of these devices, it was important to supplement them with a function mobile communications. This is how the communicator appeared. As you understand, a communicator is the same as the current smartphone, it’s just that the first of these terms appeared earlier to designate a gadget that was new at that time.

Now the two devices are no different, but in the early 2000s the difference was felt more. The communicator and PDA were identical in size, weight and functionality, only the first was supplemented with a GSM module. Smartphones at that time had smaller screens and functionality.

Now, to distinguish between two devices, some experts take into account their “roots”: if the device evolved from a mobile phone, it is a smartphone, if from a PDA, it is a communicator.

For ease of typing on all triche devices, you can use a stylus - a special “stick” for the touch screen.

A little bit of history again

The first attempt to release a smartphone/communicator was made on November 23, 1992 by IBM, which introduced the Simon phone. But only 2 years later the American began selling it mobile operator BellSouth for $1000.

The gadget worked like a telephone, had an organizer and several games, sent and received faxes, provided access to email etc. It is noteworthy that it could be controlled not by buttons, but by a touch screen.

Why didn't it take root in the market? It was inconvenient to carry around. The weight was more than 1 kg.

The first communicator that enjoyed success was the Nokia 9000 Communicator on the GEOS OS platform, released in 1996. His weight was 397 g.

That's all, the end :).

Hope this information, about what a smartphone is and how it differs from a mobile phone was at least somewhat useful for you.

Tell your friends about it.