A smartphone is basically a portable electronic device which combines personal computer and mobile phone functions in one small unit. Smartphones are equipped with different features, applications, and speed dialing facilities that allow them to replace handheld personal computers. These devices run on embedded software and run on various operating systems such as Symbian OS, Windows, Linux, and Blackberry OS. In recent years, the sales of smartphones have increased dramatically in the developed and developing countries such as U.K, U.S, Australia and China.

Smartphones provide users with the ability to access multiple applications and web-based data simultaneously from a single location. As these smart devices are loaded with advanced software applications, they can perform multiple tasks and operate on multiple operating systems. They also include additional hardware components such as memory card, CPU, screen, camera, and speakers that make them more efficient and enhance their communication abilities. The availability of downloadable apps has increased the usage of smartphones. Some of the most popular apps for smart phones include i Dictionary, Wikipedia, Maps, Yelp, YouTube, i Finance, Evernote, Yahoo Messenger, Wikipedia, and Sybase Simple Contact.

The smart phone manufacturers to design and manufacture phones as per the specification of the customers. In most of the cases, manufacturers use the Windows Mobile OS. The Android operating system is used to design the Android based smartphones. The Blackberry mobile phone platform is used to design the Blackberry smartphones. However, there are manufacturers who use Apple iOS or Google Android operating system to develop the smartphones.

Smartphones offer users many advanced computing and communication facilities. With the help of smart phone app, users can access a wide variety of internet resources like weather, maps, and internet book. These web resources along with other diagnostic tools help in easy navigation. The advanced computing and communication facilities of a smartphone are further enhanced with the installation of a Bluetooth headset, or a USB Bluetooth kit.

Users can easily download e-books of their choice through a Bluetooth internet browser. The Google Chrome mobile operating system runs on the smartphones via the WiFi technology. Moreover, the Google Android software facilitates the browsing of the web via the WiFi technology. This feature enables the users to access websites that are available on the internet. The e-book reader “E Ink” from Amazon also enables the user to read books and newspapers via a smartphone.

Thus, it can be concluded that a smartphone offers the users a number of facilities that would have been previously thought impossible. With the advent of new technologies, the competition in the market has also increased. Smartphones such as iPhone and android are equipped with high resolution cameras, high resolution music players, and internet browsers. Further, these gadgets come with advanced memory space and advanced processing speed. It is possible to easily download all the required apps for your cell phone from the apple Apps store or the android marketplace.