In just the last 10 years, we’ve seen incredible advancements in smartphones. But do you ever wonder what your smartphone will look like in another ten years? Our research takes a deep dive into the latest tech advancements, and we’ve put together a guide surrounding what to expect from future smartphones. We’ve put together some of the most interesting things we’ll gain – and what we’ll lose. Tech is evolving at a rapid rate, and phone manufacturers are constantly creating newer, more impressive features for our smartphones. Here’s what we can expect to see on our handsets in the near (and distant) future.

Related blog: Why Are Smartphones 'Going Slim'

Is it possible to have 6G?

5G has well and truly intergrated itself into our community within the last few years after it was introduced in 2019.  It’s the fifth generation of cellular mobile technology, which is what your phone uses to send and receive data, so you can use the internet, send messages and make calls. 5G is up to 20 times faster than the 4G LTE. It took 10 years for 5G to release after 4G, so if we follow that same structure, we could see 6G arrive to our smartphones as early as 2029... but we're going to say 2030 just to be sure!

• 3G - 2001
• 4G - 2009
• 5G - 2019
• 6G - 2030

How popular are foldable phones?

Many phone manufacturers are stepping into the future with foldable phones – which are essentially tablet-sized phones, but you can fold the whole structure over (including the screen!) to create an average-sized smartphone with a screen on both the front and back. Samsung is one of the leading tech brands to pioneer folding and flip smartphones. But folding phones have been on the scene for a while now, and the talk of tri-folding phones (that's smartphones with a triple fold) could be hitting the scene soon. Huawei recently released a tri-folding smartphone in China called the Huawei Mate XT and Samsung unveiled a concept at CES 2025. The UK could be seeing tri-folding phones very, very soon.

How can I control my phone without hands?

This one sounds very futuristic – but soon enough, you might be able to control your phone using just your mind!

Back in 2017, Facebook first announced their research lab, Building 8, was working on a computer-brain interface that would allow users to complete actions without picking up their smartphone. More recently though, plans to create a silent speech system were revealed, which would allow users to type 100 words per minute – using only their brain. While this kind of tech is already available and is used widely in medical settings for people suffering from impairments such as paralysis that affects their verbal speech, this usually involves implants within the brain. Facebook wants to make a non-invasive wearable piece of tech, that will let users type with their mind.

Facebook aren’t the only tech giant thinking about mind-computer connections either. Elon Musk has just announced his plans for some revolutionary brain implants. Named Neuralink, the project is looking into brain implants that will telepathically control tech – similar to the previously mentioned silent speech implants - but they will cover a broader aspect of tech control. Essentially, you’ll be able to control every aspect of your phone or computer just as you would with your hands, but with your mind. Spooky!

Are headphone jacks making a comeback?

Apple (and basically all tech companies) forever removing their headphone jacks is a feature we will neverget over. We understand this was done to make phones more waterproof as there was less chance of water getting into any holes, but the practicality of a headphone jack is now completely gone. In fact, to use headphones now, users must buy a special adapter to plug their original headphones in or buy the custom headphones from Apple and other big brands. Although AirPods are certainly more popular than headphones, having the option to use them would still be amazing. 

What colour phone options exist?

An odd one, but manufacturers are working towards selling phones that aren’t a set colour. They’re trying to develop technology that allows you to change the colour of your phone whenever you want. The idea is, that the back of a device would be made from a glass-like material that could absorb all the light, and with the help of LEDs, you would be able to change the colour of the phone just by adjusting settings to what kind of light is let into the back. The finished result should look like the colour is completely painted, just as the phone backs look now.

Related blog: The Downfall Of The Blackberry

Conclusion:

There’s still so much to look forward to in terms of mobile phone technology. However, we have a long wait until most of this technology is advanced for commercial use. So for now, if you’re looking for an upgrade, you can find a whole selection of the latest refurbished phones on our website – we stock all of the current favourites, such as the iPhone 16 and Galaxy S24, so join the future and pick up your latest handset with us today at Envirofone.