Apple iPhone 3G using mature, cost-effective connectivity

The technology associated with mobile phones and the wireless web has come on leaps and bounds in the last five years and this is being seen in current levels of popularity.

Whether consumers have purchased an Apple iPhone 3G, Nokia N97 or HTC Hero, most of them are likely to have tested out the Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities of their device.

However, one expert has suggested that although these systems are now at a stage where they can cater to the demands of the modern market, this has not been the case for very long.

Techworld spokesman and editor of the online IT and electronics news publication John Dunn noted that recent reports have shown just how much uptake of wireless technology has increased.

He added that although this has been a long time coming, it is reflective of the inherent benefits people are now taking advantage of.

“[Mobile broadband and Wi-Fi is] a winner because it’s mature, cheap and is used by PCs the world over. It has transformed the home networking market,” Mr Dunn explained.

He went on to say that some Wi-Fi systems were limited by range and the power needed to keep them connected, but this was something that 3G and Wimax was addressing.

“Wi-Fi will live on, but not necessarily on smartphones,” he concluded.

A recent report from Mintel showed consumer appetite for new technology had seen sales boosted by 13 per cent between 2004 and 2008, while figures from ABI Research last week predicted one billion Wi-Fi chipsets would be shipped during 2011.