1990 to 1995 represented an upward swerve in design and portability, with mobile devices (cell phones) gradually starting to appear in the hands of average consumers for the first time. The DynaTAC 8000X could store 30 contacts but offered little else in the way of features otherwise. By 2013, it was the largest mobile phone operating system in the world. Related: The best phones with wireless charging available. In 2012, Google rebranded Android Market as Google Play Store. We now live in a golden age of mobile phones. The 2010s also introduced some lesser-known hardware firsts like Near Field Communication (NFC), eSIM support, and water resistance (or IP ratings). It ran on Symbian and featured a rather unique design, whereby the keys were set out on the side of the display. Car phones became increasingly popular in the 1950s and 1960s among businesses and wealthy individuals. It is risky but returns are high as well. And despite a looming recession, consumer demand remained high worldwide. The First Cell Phone: A Complete Phone History from 1920 - Present User Experience Of 1G Mobile Phones: Which raises the question, wouldnt it be easier to just get a cheap flip phone? What were some of your favorite memories about them? Only a few years later, phones would feature edge-to-edge displays with no front-facing buttons whatsoever. Another first for Motorola. The cost of having fragmented conversation. 1992 was an important year for cell phones. Even it's 0.3 mega pixel camera on back was more promising in those goood old days. The handset was targeted at the consumer market and featured things like improved call-quality and extended battery life. It had developed into a fairly practical system by the 21st century. These days, we refer to AMPS as a first-generation cellular network (1G), or the precursor to 2G. Here's a brief history of the cell phone industry and how it has evolved over time. The 1990s marked a time of rapid change in the cell phone industry, particularly with the release of smaller and more portable devices. You cant really talk about cell phones without mentioning Nokia because, well, without Nokia, we probably wouldnt have much a phone market today. From the first in-car phones of the 1940s to the best smartphones of today, the evolution of cell phones is nothing short of remarkable.