People often speculate on the future of cell phones. We often forget why today's cell phones got their big break-through. 'Touch', for example, that is experiencing its greatest break-through nowadays was easy to predict because it suits human nature so much better. Just look at how young children interact with the things they point at or how the elderly first try to use a computer. Then you'll see human nature again. (See also the book (Dutch) in which I conjectured the iPhone in 2004.)
Voice control will be the next break-through, at which you can ask what the future of cell phones will be like. Or won't there be one?

Future Vision by Erwin Van Lun on this article

After all, no one really needs to drag a little box that has different settings depending on where in the world you are and needs to be recharged every now and again around. Only a very small amount of people likes looking up new features (menu->applications->settings). But nature drives are built-in, so if we can be helped very simply, so befitting our nature) by those, then please.

The future therefore will be much simpler: built-in (or implanted) ear plugs that will allow sound from outside on command. So have modes in ‘presence’ (actively present at the spot you’re at), ‘connected’ (connected to a virtual world with real or artificial people) or ‘mixed’ (in which you can have spoken assistance with your own behavior in the physical world. If you talk, it’ll be registered through the ear plug as well. If you want to see something or transmit an image you’ll always be able to use any random screen (=camera, as they’re always connected) or pull out and unroll a piece of e-paper. Payment will be through biometric recognition (voice, iris or finger print). So you can go outside without bringing anything at all. No key, no wallet, no cell phone. Not in 2008, not in 2015, but in 2025 we’ll have come a long way towards this already.

• in Dutch