In the article "Future Smartphones Won't Need Cell Towers to Connect," Tom Simonite discusses the latest breakthrough known as LTE Direct. This latest feature allows cellphones to use this wireless technology rather than bouncing from cell towers. Businesses could have beacons of this LTE Direct allowing phones to communicate with one another within a given area. This technology has been in the works for about seven years, and researchers are currently testing LTE Direct.
LTE Direct would allow for communication from device to device within a certain range. Examples listed in the article include airlines communicating with passengers in the airport about their delayed flight or the ability to alert businesses of what a customer is interested in based on search information to offer customized deals to the customer (Simonite, 2014). Another neat advantage with LTE Direct is the ability to have a tour guide which looks for places of interest nearby.
Multiple apps are in the works, and future apps could include communication apps to transfer information without using cell towers. Devices using LTE Direct will have the capability to communicate with other devices using LTE Direct or with a Beacon. It is supposed to have very little effect on battery life, and it seems that LTE Direct has the capabilities to improve communication in a more customized manner.
Article: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/530996/future-smartphones-wont-need-cell-towers-to-connect/
Great summary!
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