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Defining the 'superphone'

Google may have latched onto the term "superphone," but the concept is nothing new. At a Silicon Valley tech conference, Samsung's chief strategy officer defines the next-generation of smartphone.

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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
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Google may have latched onto the term, but the concept of a "superphone" is simply a description of an even smarter smartphone that combines the most cutting-edge features that mobile phone users and technologists alike want.

At the MobileBeat tech conference in San Francisco on Monday, Samsung's chief strategy officer, Omar Khan, took a stab at listing the components that go into building the next-generation smartphone.

Software specifications

  • High-definition video capture and playback (720p minimum)
  • High-quality 3D gaming
  • Rich social networking apps
  • True multitasking without stopping or restarting apps as you go back to them (he means you, iPhone 4)
  • Combination of native and Web apps to emulate the desktop experience

Hardware specifications

  • 4-inch screen or larger
  • Super AMOLED screen or similar
  • 1GHz processor or higher
  • 3D graphics accelerator
  • Multipoint motion sensors (like a gyroscope, geo-magnetic sensors)

Network

  • "Superphones" will also all use 3G or 4G minimum--for the latter, LTE or WiMax-capable

In truth, we're already seeing some phones that fit this description, such as Samsung's own Galaxy S, the first on the market to use the Super AMOLED display as well as the HTC EVO, a 4G-capable phone (in some markets) that's also has a 4.3-inch screen. The iPhone 4's Retina Display is also noteworthy.

While we're not there yet, Kahn predicts that within the year, or at least "the near future," we'll be seeing mobile phones with dual-core processors similar to those found on laptops.

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