Mobile phone accessories

The typical cell phone has become somewhat obsolete; current cell phones offer embedded features such as memory databases for storing frequently called numbers, locking features for theft deterrence, crystallized displays, internet connection capabilities, and other useful features. With the addition of popular culture, science, and marketing the cellular phone accessories industry has sky rocketed to meet the ever-growing needs of the consumer.

Software

Cellular telephones have become very popular with professionals and consumers as a way to communicate while away from their regular, wire-based phone, creating a niche for software makers to meet demands (and create new ones). The large investment by Amazon.com, buying a 7% stake in GeoWorks – a California company that makes software for cellular phones, shows how the market has attracted different companies⁴.

[edit]Batteries and Chargers

Mobile telephones use radio waves to send and receive calls, this makes a portable battery a necessity – and the cell phone must include a power source. Rechargeable batteries provide the usual source of power, but most cell phones can also be attached to the cigarette lighter in a vehicle or to some other external power device.

Although the idea of radiant energy has been around not long after the discovery of electricity, new changes of “radiant energy” and advanced uses of lithium-ion batteries are gaining ground in the industrial market:

• “Michael Faraday found in the 1830s that changing a magnetic field induces an electrical current in a nearby wire”; “one of the first patents registered in the 1890s by Nikola Tesla, one of Edison’s former assistants, was for “radiant energy”¹.
• Argonne scientists stated in the 211th meeting of The Electrochemical Society, Argonne scientists said they have adapted the ability to stabilize and increase capacity of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries by using an active component⁵.

[edit]Market

Various news quotes show how much the industry has grown and is expected to grow:

• Accessories maker Parrot figures that while only one in six cell-phone sales now results in an accessory purchase; by 2011 the number of sales will rise to one in three. "That means that it's going to be a tug of war for accessories," says Edward Valdez, U.S. president ofParrot (company).
• Best Buy late last year launched five specialty stores in New York focused exclusively on selling phones and related accessories. "Once people get used to the idea of the phones not being just for calling, they'll buy other things," says John Zittrauer, sales lead at Best Buy Mobile in Union Square in Manhattan^[1].
• In addition to foreign purchases of communication equipments and parts, six million cell phones and accessories will be domestically produced for Iran’s mobile phone industry, noted here on Monday, the Minister of Industries and Mines Alireza Tahmasbi².
• “With China having almost double the number of cellular subscribers we are having to shift more attention towards providing international competition”, states CEO of ANYTHINGFORMYCELL.COM: China currently has 380 million subscribers and expects another 250 million by 2010^[2].

[edit]Covers and Skins

A display of cell phone covers

The newest trend in cell phone accessories are skins and design covers.

These decals can be made of hard plastic or in the newer market adhesive-backed vinyl pieces. These vinyl skins can be ordered on many websites and come pre-cut to fit your cell phone or even another electronic device. There exist two different types of vinyl material, calendared or cast, with the latter being more expensive. In short, calendared vinyl is expected to only be used for short durations while cast vinyl is used on a more long term basis. Calendared vinyl also tends to shrink in the heat, and fade in color. On the other hand, cast vinyl can cure all of these problems, yet costs up to 250% more (which still is a very cheap total cost). While the technology of these adhesive-backed skins continues to improve, the most up to date technology comes from 3M. The company has manufactured a cast vinyl product that they call "Controltac". This vinyl cover maintains a more glossy look and provides an air release channel that prevents bubbles during placement.

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