The last 40 years have seen huge changes in the physical handset and hardware providers continue to innovate. The mobile phone has become increasingly important in our everyday lives, and as the technology develops this is a trend that will continue. Phones will increasingly be synced to other devices and act as our technological hub, allowing us to pay, plan and play more conveniently and more quickly than we currently do.
The increased sophistication of mobile devices has coincided with the growth of the online world, and we now use our mobiles to get updates from friends and family without the need to send a message, as sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become the forums for communication. The continuing role of the physical mobile handset seems not to be in doubt, but the future profitability and revenue streams for the mobile operators are much less certain.
James Bateman is head of multi-manager and multi-asset portfolio management for Fidelity Worldwide Investment
