全通翻譯/翻譯社

The Future of the Smartphone: High-end or Low-cost?

For many, the advent of the smartphone age began with the release of the first iPhone in 2007. However, the history of this now ubiquitous technology can be traced back almost 20 years. 

Back then, a multifunctional phone was necessarily clunky. While IBM's Simon was ahead of the game with its touch screen, the US$899 price tag was prohibitive to all but the highest-flying execs. In 1996, Nokia began its Communicator line, notable for its PDA capabilities but limited to text-based browsing. By 2002, Blackberry was offering a WAP browser, and the smartphone was truly taking shape. 

Trailblazers like Nokia and Motorola are now falling by the wayside, casualties of the war for supremacy. There have been other battles, too — Android vs. Apple iOS, and Apple's patent tit-for-tat with Samsung. Most recently, Taiwan's HTC inked a 10-year licensing agreement, ending its protracted squabble with Apple.

In terms of global market share, Samsung is way ahead on 32.6 percent, with Apple trailing on 16.9. Android dominates the OS ranking with over 68 percent of the market. However, the real threat may be emerging from elsewhere.


智慧型手機逐鹿中原：高檔與低價之戰

對許多人來說，智慧型手機的興起是從二○○七年首支 iPhone 問世開始。不過，這個當今無所不在的科技沿革其實可回溯到將近廿年前。

當時，多功能話機必然十分笨重。儘管 IBM 的 Simon 以觸控螢幕領先群雄，899 美元的標價卻只有時常旅行的經理人才買得起。Nokia 在一九九六年推出 Communicator 系列，以 PDA 功能聞名，但只能以簡訊模式檢視。到了二○○二年，Blackberry 推出 WAP 瀏覽器，宣告著智慧型手機正式成形。

Nokia 和 Motorola 等先鋒現在已退出戰場，成了霸主之戰的戰敗者。不過，戰爭不只這一場，還有 Android 與 Apple iOS，以及 Apple 與三星之間的專利之爭。最近，台灣的 HTC 則簽署了一份長達十年的授權協議，終結其與 Apple 之間的漫長對抗。

以全球市佔率來說，三星以 32.6% 遙遙領先，Apple 的16.9% 緊追在後。Android 則以超過 68% 的市佔率稱霸作業系統排名。不過，真正的威脅可能來自其他地方。

資料來源：biz 互動英語電子報