just what form the future telephone will take is, of course, pure speculation

by Christian Sanford 8 min read

“Just what form the future telephone will take is, of course, pure speculation,” Sullivan explained nearly 70 years ago. “Here is my prophecy: In its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today.

Sullivan was quoted as saying: Just what form the future telephone will take is, of course, pure speculation. Here is my prophecy: In its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today.Dec 6, 2021

Full Answer

What form will the future telephone take?

Nov 06, 2019 · “Just what form the future telephone will take is, of course, pure speculation. Here is my prophecy: “In its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we...

Did the telephone company predict the cell phone?

Oct 03, 2020 · “Just what form the future telephone will take is, of course, pure speculation. Here is my prophecy: “In its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today. It probably will require no dial or equivalent, and I think the users will be able to see each other, if they want, as they talk.

Are modern phones carried about by the individual?

Aug 18, 2021 · A 1953 "prophecy for the future of the telephone" || by Mark R. Sullivan. "Just what form the future telephone will take is, of course, pure speculation. Here is my prophecy: In its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today. It probably will require no dial or equivalent, and I think the users will be able to see each …

Did a 1953 newspaper clippings predict the future of cellphones?

Dec 28, 2020 · “Just what form the future telephone will take is, of course, pure speculation,” Sullivan explained nearly 70 years ago. “Here is my prophecy: In its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today.

What is the megapixel war?

Smartphone makers, especially those from China, have reignited the so-called megapixel war to woo consumers and increase their market share. From 48MP to 64MP to 108MP, major smartphone vendors including Xiaomi, Realme, Vivo have launched high-resolution camera phones at affordable prices.

What is the Mi Mix Alpha?

Chinese smartphone vendor Xiaomi recently unveiled the Mi Mix Alpha, a 5G concept smartphone with the world's first Surround (all-round) Display with a screen-to-body ratio of more than 180.6 percent. The device has minimal bezels on the top and bottom, Driver IC for display on both sides, pressure-sensitive edges coupled with a linear motor that simulates the touch of physical buttons and a brand-new display acoustic technology to replace the traditional earpiece receiver and proximity sensor.

What is the Samsung Galaxy Fold?

The Samsung Galaxy Fold, as the name suggests, folds into a compact device with a cover display and turns into a tablet when opened.

What is a foldable phone?

The Samsung Galaxy Fold, as the name suggests, folds into a compact device with a cover display and turns into a tablet when opened.

Who said there will be no escape in the future from telephones?

Sullivan, President, Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company as he predicts the following about future telephones:

What colors were introduced in 1955?

The big topic at the January 1955 meeting was the introduction of “smart accents” in “harmonizing color” for home and office décor. Besides basic black, customers would be able to choose from “rich decorator shades” such as ivory, green, beige, brown, red, yellow, gray and blue.

How long did it take to install the first telephone in Ohio?

Ohio Bell installed its 2 millionth phone by January 1954. From the date of the first telephone installation in Ohio in 1877, it took 65 years to hook up the first million Ohio Bell telephones, executives noted. The second million took only 11 years. The big topic at the January 1955 meeting was the introduction of “smart accents” in “harmonizing ...

How many telephones did Ohio Bell have in 1940?

A subsidiary of American Telephone & Telegraph Co., Ohio Bell enjoyed phenomenal growth over a 30-year span. In Akron alone, the utility expanded from nearly 60,000 phones in 1940 to more than 328,000 in 1970. A big topic of conversation at the 1953 meeting was the need to add an extra digit to phone numbers to avoid running out of them.

When did Ohio Bell start testing cordless phones?

By 1970 , Ohio Bell predicted field tests for a battery-powered cordless telephone, miniature phones with color pictures and home phones that could connect to computers “for figuring income tax, getting information from the library or helping a student with homework.”.

When did Bellboy start?

In January 1963 , Ohio Bell announced it would soon introduce its “Bellboy” service to Akron. Doctors, salesmen and other professionals would carry a “pocket-size signaling device” that would let them know to call their offices. A special operator would transmit a radio signal to activate a buzzer on the Bellboy.

When did Bell introduce push button phones?

Also in 1961 , diners at the Mayflower luncheon learned that Bell would soon introduce push-button phones as well as telephone service in automobiles, airplanes and ships. Within a few months, Akron would begin phasing out its old phone numbers in favor of “All Number Calling.”. No more Blackstone. No more Franklin.

Where was the project echo launched?

At the January 1961 gathering, Ohio Bell updated supervisors on the success of “Project Echo” in which scientists at a Bell laboratory in Holmdel, New Jersey, bounced a signal off a balloon satellite launched 1,000 miles above Goldstone, California.

When was the first cordless phone made?

However, the first cordless telephone would not be released until the 1960s and mobile phones wouldn't be on the scene until the 1980s. It's quite likely that the bases of these products would have been in the works as early as 1953.

When was the Sullivan story published?

The News-Tribune confirmed that it printed the story on April 11 , 1953, however, they could not identify the reporter covering Sullivan’s remarks prior to publication. The article was released by AP and as well as appearing in the Tacoma News Tribune was printed in The Spokane Chronicle, The (Wilmington, Delaware) News Journal, ...

Did the president of a telephone company in California predict mobile phones during a speech?

Did the president of a telephone company in California predict mobile phones during a 1953 speech, revealed in an article with the headline "There'll Be No Escape in Future From Telephones.". In 1953 the President of the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, Mark R. Sullivan is quoted in by the Associated Press and by all accounts, ...

Who is Mark Sullivan?

What we know about Sullivan is that he was born in San Francisco, on Feb 1, 1896, in Oakland, California, to his parents Robert E. and Margaret (Tierney) Sullivan. He served at the helm of Pacific Telephone until 1945. He later led another firm, Potomac Telephone Companies.

Claim

The president of a telephone company predicted that phones "will be carried about by an individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today" — in 1953.

Reporting

A telecommunications president’s remarkably far-flung vision for his industry not only gained attention online in 2019, it is actually legitimate.

Pacific Tel and Tel executive Mark Sullivan forecast a few smartphone features...back in 1953

According to an old newspaper clip that was posted by Open Culture, 41 years before IBM created the first smartphone, a telephone company executive predicted what a modern telephone might be able to do. Published in the Tacoma News Tribune on April 11th, 1953 when Steve Jobs was a bit over two years old, the newspaper quotes Mark R.

One headline says that there will be no escape in the future from telephones

But it wasn't until the modern smartphone was created that Sullivan's predictions actually came true. Imagine how wealthy Sullivan could have been had he been able to back up his forecasts by investing in them. Sullivan's appearances at business conferences usually included a speech that mentioned his forecasts for the telephone.

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from Telephone to Smartphone: A Brief History

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Over the years, the telephone or mobile industry has undergone a major transformation owing to the evolving needs and expectations of the users. From Alexander Graham Bell's first telephone call in 1876 to the arrival of the first mobile phone, Motorola DynaTAC 8000X in 1983, it took more than 100 years to go mobil…
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Smartphone Era

  • As Sullivan envisioned "in its final development, the telephone will be carried about by the individual, perhaps as we carry a watch today," today smartphones have become so important part of our lives that we carry them everywhere. Unlike the cell phones that were merely used as a communication tool, the smartphones aren't just limited to texting and calling. From using applic…
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Innovation at Its Peak

  • Foldable phones
    With the launch of its first foldable phone-cum-tablet, the Galaxy Fold, South Korean technology giant Samsung has opened a new frontier in the smartphoneindustry. The Samsung Galaxy Fold, as the name suggests, folds into a compact device with a cover display and turns into a tablet w…
  • High-resolution cameras
    Smartphone makers, especially those from China, have reignited the so-called megapixel war to woo consumers and increase their market share. From 48MP to 64MP to 108MP, major smartphonevendors including Xiaomi, Realme, Vivo have launched high-resolution camera phon…
See more on devdiscourse.com

What's Next?

  • While some people think that the world has reached the peak of smartphoneinnovation and other innovative gadgets like wearables, smart screens will replace them soon. Others argue that they won't be replaced anytime soon, instead, they will pack more powerful hardware and software to handle more complex applications, similar to computers. In my opinion, smartphones are not go…
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