Exactly 52 years ago, on April 3, 1973, Motorola engineer Martin Cooper made history. He made the first-ever call using a mobile phone that could fit in your hand.
The First Mobile Call Moment
On that day, Cooper took a large device out of his pocket, dialed a number, and said, “Hello!” Everyone around him was amazed. He made the call to Joel Engel, an engineer from his competitor, Bell Labs. Cooper proudly shared, “We made a call from a mobile phone.”
Breaking the Boundaries: From Landline to Mobile
Before this moment, people were tied to their phones with wires for over a century. Cooper’s mobile phone broke that boundary and changed the world of communication forever.
From Car Phones to Mobile Phones
At that time, Bell Labs was working on making phones that could only be used in cars. But Cooper had a different vision. He didn’t want people to be stuck with wires, whether at home, the office, or in a car. He wanted freedom, and that’s what Motorola brought to life – a mobile phone that could be held in your hand, untethered by wires.
Features of the First Mobile Phone
The first mobile phone was very basic. Here are some details about it:
- Call Only: It could only make calls.
- Battery Life: Lasted 10 hours.
- Talk Time: Only 30 minutes per charge.
- Price: $11,700.
- No Camera or SMS: It lacked modern features like cameras or text messaging.
The Birth of Commercial Mobile Phones
It wasn’t until 1984, 11 years after Cooper’s call, that the first commercial mobile phone hit the market.
Cooper’s Views on Modern Smartphones
Today’s smartphones are much more powerful, with cameras, internet, apps, and games. But Cooper isn’t happy about them. He feels today’s phones are made of plastic or glass that don’t match well with the human face. “To use smartphones, you need to download many apps, which can be frustrating,” he says.
However, Cooper remains hopeful. He believes that in the future, AI will create apps that automatically meet the needs of users, making life easier.
From the First Call to Today’s Smartphones
The smartphone you hold today has come a long way since that first call. As technology continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for communication and mobile devices.
