Phones have evolved to allow us to take everyday tools and gadgets and incorporate them into a little device in our pockets.

Just as the first handsets replaced long distance radio receivers, smartphones are allowing us to replace a whole host of devices in and around the home. In this article we look into some of the less obvious objects we can expect our smartphones to help improve and ultimately replace.

1. Satellite Navigation Systems

If you have bought a new phone in the last couple of years, it is highly likely that it will have a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) chip built into it. Most smartphones have incorporated maps into their software but the availability of turn-by-turn directions is lacking on the majority of devices. The newer Android and Nokia powered handsets feature satellite navigation, aswell as the Apple iPhone via third party apps.

Satellite Navigation manufacturers havethe effect of mobile phones on the satellite navigation market, highlighting the development of integrated solutions in vehicles that deliver more advanced features to it’s users. Whilst navigation features on a mobile phone are limited to the size and processing power of the handset, the sheer existence of GPS equipped mobile devices can only drive competition and feature development, benefiting the consumer.

Over the next couple of years we can expect nearly all phones available in affluent countries to feature a satellite navigation application, possibly eradicating the demand for portable GPS devices in the process.

2. The Humble Alarm Clock

Gone are the days of waking up to the bells ringing on your beside table, early-risers these days choosing to startle themselves into alertness using it’s digital counterpart. For many, a mobile phone serves as a completely viable and useful alternative to an alarm clock.

Alarm clock applications are two-a-penny on the Apple App Store offering more functionality than the inbuilt clock application on the device, some bringing you a more soothing way to start your day.

Whilst older generations will stick to the methods they know and love, the sheer number and diversity of alarm applications available to smartphone owners could ensure the use of the alarm clocks are drastically reduced, if not revised to offer similar functionality at a reasonable price.

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