The smartphone market has transformed at a rapid pace. Industry titans like Apple and Samsung have seen an increase in competition from Motorola as the company is now the third-largest smartphone brand in the United States, growing more than 130% year on year. The introduction of new technologies such as 5G technology and biometrics technology have also contributed to the smartphone market’s transformation and changed the way mobile entertainment operates. Mobile entertainment refers to any activity related to mobile electronics. These activities can be communications-based. Seen in the likes of instant messaging and social media, and leisure activities like listening to music and playing games. Recently, we have seen how developments in the smartphone market have impacted the gaming industry. We will explore these changes in more detail today as we look at how mobile devices have changed the face of gaming.
Smartphone Changes Impacting Mobile Gaming
5G Technology
When we think about the rise of 5G technology, we often associate the network with improvements to video streaming. This is because 5G technology offers lower latency, which provides faster mobile internet connections. Users don’t have to worry about lag times since 5G technology can handle peak hours of data usage. 5G also improves the quality of streaming on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. However, all of these features of 5G technology have also enhanced gameplay in mobile games and sports betting. For example, since the bandwidth speed of 5G is faster than 4G, mobile gamers can access games seamlessly, even when the network is congested.
Likewise, the lack of lag times on the 5G network has improved mobile sports betting. The transition from retail sports betting to mobile became apparent in October 2021, when 84% of sports wagers were placed on smartphone devices compared to retail platforms (16%). Since mobile sports betting relies on live events, lag times and buffering have previously caused problems for bettors, such as missing the cut-off for placing bets on match odds due to busy networks.
Live Streaming Technology
In addition to 5G, the mobile gaming market has benefited immensely from the introduction of live streaming technology. This technology has allowed players to stream games in real-time, such as in live casino games like roulette, where individuals see and interact with a live roulette wheel and a real-life dealer. Players view the dealer, operating within a studio, through a virtual monitor. Live streaming technology has also introduced a live chat and live support feature in online and mobile casino games. Streaming tech also brings high-definition streaming through high-resolution cameras that provide different angles of the live action.
Native Apps
Native apps are different from HTML5 apps. And the term refers to a software program developed for use on one specific device rather than across several. Players can download these through app stores. And they use less data on mobile devices and run faster, much like 5G technology. The mobile sports betting market highly regard these apps because they have push notifications. These notifications mean sports bettors never miss an important moment going into live events.
Source: Pixabay
Over the last few years, the smartphone market has changed in terms of industry leaders and technological innovation. Several mobile industries have been impacted by these changes, including traditional gaming and iGaming.
