If there is one thing indispensable in this modern world that we have, it will be a smartphone. You would rarely see a person without one these days. Smartphones are one of the baby technologies but their impact is just too great. However, what is a smartphone? You may be carrying it with you but do you know why it is called a smartphone?

What is a smart phone in a gist? A smart phone is a gadget that lets you make the usual phone calls that you can make with your ordinary mobile phones plus a bunch of add-ons. One can surf the net, send and receive emails, perform some office tasks, play games, watch movies, listen to music, and the list just continues.

Basically, smartphones have built-in apps but now, there are downloadable software and apps like those from iTunes and Google Playstore. Apps vary from games, trackers, organizers, health guide, maps and a lot more. Some can be downloaded for free while others are charged.

While most people own atleast one, it would be safe to say that not all know what other amazing things their beloved smart little ‘box’ can do. There are a lot of things smart phones can do than the things they can’t.

For instance, it can be used as a mobile wallet. Of course, a lot would love to carry trendy wallets or purses with them for their cash and credit cards. There are apps which lets you store important credit card and bank information. Mastercard, Visa and AmEx do have applications for this feature. Even some banks (local and otherwise) have apps you can install in your smart phones.

Smartphones can act as a scanner too. After you have run this thing that needs to be scanned, you can just go ahead and send it since you can send out emails right from the phone. While some smartphones have pre-installed scanning software, there are function-specific scanning apps that you can download.

Your smartphone may be used as a Wi-Fi hotspot, too, and can host up to seven users all at the same time. In here, your smartphone can provide wireless connection even with the absence of a router. No apps are needed for this phone capability. Just be reminded though that if you prefer to use your phone or ‘hotspotting’, you should expect added charges on top of your monthly phone bill.

Those are but a few of the awesome features of smartphones. Nevertheless, with the versatility of the gadget, one can’t help but wonder, “How soon will smartphones become obsolete?” It’s a scary thought, and what’s even scarier is it can possibly happen. Smartphones can soon become obsolete, and a study conducted in behalf of mobile provider Ericsson sometime in 2015 proves that.

Ericsson’s ConsumerLab talked to more than 100,000 customers in Sweden and 39 other countries, and apparently, half of the respondents said they believe mobile technology will cease to exist by 2021. To these respondents, the continuous development of artificial intelligence (AI) will supersede most of the functions of smartphones; thus, these tiny gadgets that mean so much to so many people will eventually become obsolete.

An employee of Ericsson’s ConsumerLab, Rebecka Cedering Angstrom, even went so far as saying that a smartphone in a person’s hand, for all intents and purposes, “is really not that practical,” especially if one must drive a car or cook. She continues, “One in two [of respondents surveyed] think that smartphones will belong to the past within five years.”

Michael Bjorn, Head of Research at Ericsson ConsumerLab, adds,“Some of these trends may seem futuristic. But consumer interest in new interaction paradigms such as AI and virtual reality (VR), as well as in embedding the Internet in the walls of homes or even in our bodies, is quite strong.”

The year is almost nearing its ends, which means the timeline to the purported “end” of smartphones is getting near. However, tech giants continue to manufacture top-of-the-line smartphones one after the other. Hence, it’s hard to tell whether smart phones will indeed become obsolete in five years or not.

For now, those who make the most out of their smartphones should continue to enjoy their gadgets the best way they can before these become a thing of the past.