Nothing major has changed for years

Thinking about my previous post on multiple devices and one number, I began thinking about the big changes we’ve seen in mobile over the past 5 years.

So. Five years ago, (or thereabouts) if my memory is working accurately, I was playing about about with MSN messenger via bluetooth via a Sony T68i on GPRS.

Four years ago, I had o2′s first XDA Windows Mobile device which could connect to the internet itself — so I could use MSN messenger there.

So what’s changed? In five years?

F all.

It’s got faster.

It’s got more reliable.

It’s cheaper.

But it’s essentially unchanged. I’m still putting a sodding sim card in a device.

NOTHING dramatic has changed at the network level.

We can almost locate you to within 50-100 metres. But it’s a stupid cost so hardly anyone uses the feature.

Soooo anything else?

Is this it?

What are the major changes that we’ve experienced over the last 5 years in the mobile industry? Apart from ’3g’ — i.e., making it go faster (which allows shitty quality TV, video calling and quicker downloads), what am I missing?

We’re still sat on the same GSM standard as five years ago. And the data is quicker.

Is that it?

I must be missing something. Where’s the innovation? The true innovation? The leaps and the jumps? Help me. What am I missing?