What Is A Mobile Device?

Date First Published: 15th September 2023

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Hardware

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 3/10

Learn about what a mobile device is in this article.

A mobile device is a handheld, portable device designed to be small enough to easily be taken out and about whilst travelling and moved from one location to another. Examples of mobile devices include mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and laptops. Most mobile devices include a touchscreen interface and other built-in input devices, like webcams and keyboards.

Mobile devices wirelessly connect to other devices and networks using Wi-Fi, cellular, and Bluetooth. They also run off battery power. Mobile devices can be used for education purposes, for entertainment, and for easy communication.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Mobile Devices

• They are extremely portable devices. This is the key characteristic of mobile devices. Since they are extremely portable, they can easily be moved from one location to another without the need to set up anything since all the components are integrated.
• They are lightweight and easy to carry around.
• They provide an easy method of communication. Mobile devices allow users to communicate with others whilst travelling by text messages, email messages, and more.

• They are more vulnerable to accidental damage. Since mobile devices are carried around all the time, this has increased the chances of accidental damage, like dropping it or spilling liquids on it, which can cause the screen to crack or cause the device to become unusable.
• They can easily be stolen. Since they are taken out and about, it is easy for someone to steal them, which could lead to data theft. For example, someone might leave their mobile phone unattended whilst they go away.
• People can easily become addicted to them. Due to their portability, it is easy for people to take them everywhere they go and become addicted. As a result, this can have a negative impact on performance, increase procrastination, and cause people to avoid tasks and responsibilities.

Popularity

The number of mobile users is constantly increasing every year. According to Statista, the current number of smartphone users in the world today is 6.92 billion in 2023. It is clear that mobile devices are the most widely used form of devices. Due to the increase in the number of mobile users, it has put emphasis on the importance of mobile optimisation, which refers to the process of optimising websites and web-based applications for mobile devices. It is estimated that over 55% of website traffic comes from mobile devices.

History

Before the invention of mobile devices, people used computers that were wired to the physical infrastructure. Radios, televisions, and computers needed to be connected to a power source for electricity. They also needed cords to connect them to content and programming. As technology developed, improvements were made that allowed electricity and information to be stored. As batteries and storage drives became smaller and less expensive, the development of mobile devices increased. Although desktop computers that need to be connected to a power source for electricity are still widely used now, mobile devices are more commonly used due to their portability.

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