the air

I’ve often wondered why the US is unable to host the hottest new cell phones from the top manufacturers. Many of Motorola’s own phones debut overseas before they hit American shores. While most Americans are awed by the prospect of seeing the iPhone, millions around the world are already enjoying many of the benefits that the iPhone boasts in other models. For the most part, the main reason why Americans do not see the newest phones is due to the technological limitations.

Most of the world has been using the GSM standard for well over two decades. Many countries have also instituted a ban on competing technologies so that they can conform to the world-wide standard. In the United States, CDMA and GSM were both allowed to operate and evolve. Initially CDMA was the de facto standard but has since been struggling to compete with GSM. It would be a matter of personal opinion to claim that CDMA was better than GSM or vice versa. Rather, the free market system in place has forced the US to struggle to keep up with other countries. As such, while millions are able to enjoy high speed internet access, Americans are just embracing text messaging.

I think another major problem with the American market is that companies charge prohibitive rates for the newest features. Most European carriers offer competitive and affordable pricing that encourages faster adoption rates. In addition, most Americans view their phones as mostly voice communication devices, rather than provocative multimedia devices. I cannot see things changing too much in the near future, but as GSM evolves into 4G, things may improve. The US has always followed its own path and I simply hope that carriers change their minds and implement a system that the entire world operates on.

Source: MSNBC

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