Mobile Phone Features - General Features

General Features

All mobile phones have a number of features in common, but manufacturers also try to differentiate their own products by implementing additional functions to make them more attractive to consumers. This has led to great innovation in mobile phone development over the past 20 years.

The common components found on all phones are:

All mobile phones are designed to work on cellular networks and contain a standard set of services that allow phones of different types and in different countries to communicate with each other. However, they can also support other features added by various manufacturers over the years:

• roaming which permits the same phone to be used in multiple countries, providing that the operators of both countries have a roaming agreement.
• send and receive data and faxes (if a computer is attached), access WAP services, and provide full Internet access using technologies such as GPRS.
• applications like a clock, alarm, calendar and calculator and a few games.
• Sending and receiving pictures and videos through MMS, and for short distances with e.g. Bluetooth.
• GPS receivers integrated or connected (i.e. using Bluetooth) to cell phones, primarily to aid in dispatching emergency responders and road tow truck services. This feature is generally referred to as E911.
• Push to talk, available on some mobile phones, is a feature that allows the user to be heard only while the talk button is held, similar to a walkie-talkie.