New mobiles to look out for

At the start of a new year, there is always a great deal of speculation about what new technological devices can be expected and, true to form, a new generation of mobile phones is set to emerge. Besides new models from individual brand names, there are some exceptional features that may soon become standard across the board. For example, flexible phones and smart skin phones will offer new kinds of functionality and seem set to change the appearance of smartphones in a dramatic way.

Flexible phones
These are phones that can be bent, rolled up and folded over, making them extremely durable. The prototypes have been of great interest to crowds at gadget shows. Recently, Samsung demonstrated their Organic Light Emitting Diode display technology – or OLED – which replaces traditional LED displays and is more flexible as well as thinner and lighter. Other companies known to be working on similar flexible technology include Philips, Nokia, Sony, Sharp and LG, so it seems it will not be very long before bendable smartphones are all the rage.

Smart skin phones
Once again, Samsung seems to be at the forefront of technological developments; the company has filed a patent for a ‘smart device-skin.' This is a kind of film layer that allows a mobile user to choose an image and wrap it around his or her handset electronically. This ability to change the appearance of a mobile phone, as often as the user wishes, is expected to be very popular – so much so that Samsung is said to be considering a retail version that people with older Samsung smartphones can buy as an accessory.

iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S
New products from Apple are always eagerly awaited, so it's no surprise that there are lots of rumours surrounding the next iPhone, with talk that Apple's newest mobile phone will be the iPhone 6. However, some people anticipate the device will be called iPhone 5S and will be launched in spring 2013. Expectations are that the new smartphone will have a better quality camera, a faster operating system and more memory than the iPhone 5.

Fujitsu Lifebook 2013
Much more than a mere mobile, the new Lifebook combines a laptop, tablet, phone and camera. The tablet and mobile phone can be detached from the laptop, as can the camera, which can be used independently as a handheld digital device. This is not likely to be one of the cheapest technology combinations available but, as with any preferred brands, SIM only plans make it affordable to upgrade mobile phones with ease.

Google Nexus
Just like the latest iPhone, there is a lot of speculation about the Google Nexus due to launch in 2013. A shaded image featuring only the product outline has been released, so avid mobile phone fans are taking wild guesses at what the new Nexus can do. Apparently a very slim device, it seems possible the phone may contain a sliding part, and some commentators are hoping for a Google Nexus Xperia Play 2.

Undoubtedly, the competition between smartphone manufacturers for customers will continue during 2013, as the new technologies available continue to make their mark.