Fully flexible, self-healing, solar-powered…what will mobile phones of the future look like?

　　Mobiles.co.uk, a British website, recently reported that from soft "body" to self-repairing screen, from solar charging to the use of more advanced materials, some ideas about future mobile phones sound more like something out of a science fiction movie. But the realization of these technologies is just around the corner, and smartphones will undergo tremendous changes in the next few years, which may subvert people's imagination.

　　"Body" is more flexible

　　Companies such as Motorola, Samsung and Huawei have all launched foldable phones, but the folding function is currently limited to the screen part of the phone.

　　AI tools predict that one day in the future, the entire phone will become very flexible. With the advent of flexible organic light-emitting diodes, flexible technology is becoming widely used, and some manufacturers are conducting in-depth research on this.

　　At the end of October 2023, Motorola launched a smart flexible screen mobile phone that can be worn on the wrist. The device is called the world's first wearable smartphone. It has a 6.9-inch full HD mobile phone screen that can be bent into a variety of shapes.

　　The latest list published by the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office shows that Apple has obtained a new patent for folding screen self-healing technology, which can solve the crease problem faced by folding mobile phones. It is reported that in order to improve the aesthetics of electronic devices and reduce the presence of scratches and dents, Apple will introduce a layer of self-healing material in the mobile phone screen cover. The self-healing process can be achieved actively, or it can be initiated and accelerated by external stimulation. This technology indicates that folding mobile phones will be more durable.

　　Solar powered

　　In the future, people will not only use their phones differently than they do now, but they will also power their phones in different ways, such as using solar energy to power their phones. As a renewable energy source, solar energy is almost unlimited, and many innovative technologies and devices have emerged in this field.

　　In 2016, Japan's Kyocera Corporation announced the development of a mobile phone that uses sunlight to charge. The device works by installing a layer of photovoltaic panels on the phone screen, which can be exposed to the sun for 3 minutes, and then talk for 1 minute. However, since most people tend to keep their phones in their pockets, this design has not become popular.

　　Using solar energy to charge cell phones could become popular if batteries and solar panels could be recharged quickly when exposed to sunlight.

　　Self-repair

　　Everyone may have experienced the frustration and pain of having their phone screen covered with spider-web-like cracks after being dropped.

　　Experts say that future cell phones may have self-healing capabilities, eliminating the need to buy replacement parts or even replace phones.

　　Last year, scientists at Stanford University in the United States developed a synthetic skin that can be re-fused through heating and magnets. This artificial skin is made of silicone and polypropylene glycol materials and can be stretched like human skin without tearing, while magnetism can automatically align the skin. This new multi-layer thin film sensor can automatically rearrange itself during the healing process. Using this technology, scientists may be able to create mobile phones with self-healing functions in the future.

　　More sustainable design

　　Using sustainable materials and resources to manufacture mobile phones is also one of the future development trends.

　　Even if we can’t make phones out of mushroom skins or other natural materials just yet, there are other ways to make them more sustainable. A 2019 study found that extending the life of smartphones by just one year could save the carbon emissions of 2 million cars per year. One simple way to achieve this is to make phones easier to repair.

　　While Apple and other big manufacturers have long been criticized for making their phones difficult to repair, other innovators are advancing designs that make them easy to repair. For example, modular designs like the Fairphone allow for quick replacement of components, which not only greatly reduces repair costs, but also reduces waste and extends the life of the phone.

　　Experts stress that with better materials and designs, future mobile phones could be more environmentally friendly.

　　Improved grip

　　While this might not be the most exciting innovation in the mobile phone industry, it could solve one annoying problem with modern phones.

　　Experts say that phones of the future should be less likely to be dropped. With the help of AI, experts imagine that one day phones may have "unique snake-like screens" for better grip and durability.

　　The logic behind the change is simple: if phones are less slippery, they might be less likely to be dropped, broken, and discarded. Not only would that be good for the environment, but it would also be a big help for people with disabilities.