Telephone Historic Innovation
Executive Summary
Telephone innovation as a historic innovation has consistently impacted the ICT and electronic engineering fields, and this will have currents and future positive impacts. In 1960 Johann Philipp invented the telephone that could transmit sound from one place to the other through the use of an electromagnetic device.
Consequently, in 1876 Bell attained the first patent for commercially viable telephones, thus revolutionizing the ability to make communication across different regions and places. Initially, people across the globe experienced challenges in sending messages from one place to another such that messengers would be used to send a message from one point to another. Additionally, smoke signals and relaying information by torches and beacons on hilltops were used in sending messages over long distances.
The ancient modes of communication were characterized by challenges; thus, the innovation of the telephone was a landmark innovation. First, the ancient modes of communication resulted in a distortion in the message and information communicated. In this regard, the process of sending a message from the sender to the receiver experienced challenges due to distortion. Consequently, messages and information sent took a relatively long period to reach the intended destination. Moving from one place to another resulted in a wastage of time before the messages got to their different destinations. Furthermore, sending of messages in the early days was subject to misinterpretation from different quotas. People would interpret similar messages differently, resulting in confusion among the receivers of the messages.
The innovation of the telephone greatly revolutionized communication among people. The emergence of the telephone resulted in the abandoning of the earlier modes of communication. The telephone simplified the mode of communication, ensuring that there is instant communication with feedback, no distortion of communication, and the communication is rarely subject to distortion. Telephone innovation has been consistently developed by the adoption of advanced technology and innovations leading to the development of new and advanced communication devices such as mobile phones and tablets.
The information on the report will be sourced through a literature review from a wide range of sources. Different sources have made documentation of the telephone innovation and the process of development and growth in developing communication gadgets from the initially innovative telephone. The documentations further state the current position of the telephone technology as well as the future position.
The analysis method to be adopted in the report is a descriptive and predictive analysis. The descriptive analysis provides an insight into the data to retrieve information and facts from different sources. On the other hand, the predictive analysis will evaluate trends and the development in the telephone innovation to establish the future of the technology.
The research indicated that telephone innovation greatly changes the mode of communication that has been consistently improved to achieve the modern modes of communication, such as the use of smartphones. In this regard, the telephone technology needs to be increasingly improved through the incorporation of technology and innovations. On the other hand, technology has resulted in challenges such as cybersecurity. The developers need to consistently reduce the challenges through the use of technologies such as encryption.
Report
1. Original Idea
The original idea was based on finding an easy and effective mode of communication. Initially, communication across different regions and locations were hard as it dependent physical effort of people such as messengers (Beauchamp, 2010, p.861). The ancient modes of communication resulted in the distortion of ideas, delays sending and receiving messages, and misinterpretation. Telephone innovation was established with the intention of countering with challenges experienced in sending messages. In this regard, the original idea before the development of phones was the use of tin can telephones and mechanical telephones that used pipes to transmit sound. The development motivated the developers of telephones as it was clear to them that sound moved by way of mechanical vibrations.
2. Original business proposition
People across the different regions are always interacting through communication. The introduction of the telephone that made communication easier and effective would immediately be acquired in the market (Beauchamp, 2010, p.863). The acoustic telephones were introduced in the market, and they experienced intense competition from the electrical telephone. Additionally, upon the expiration Bell telephone patent different manufacturers engaged manufacturing of more telephones to meet the market demand and compete with the acoustic telephone manufacturers. Therefore, the innovation of the early telephone found a ready market with the consumers ready to adopt new means of communication.
3. Preceding technologies leading to emergent technology
The development and innovation of the telephone were preceded by the creation of tin can telephones and the acoustic telephone. The mechanical acoustic devices were adopted in communication in long distances as they transmitted sound in greater distances as compared to direct speech. Physical media such as pipes were the modes used as a medium for the transmission of sound (Engel, 2008, p.28). In the case of tin can telephone, two cans connected with a string would transmit sound vibrations from one point to the other. The indication that sound vibration can effectively travel from one point to another resulted to the the development of an acoustic string telephone. The consistency in development and innovation resulted in Bell developing a telephone and consequently obtained a patent for it.
4. Historic trends and drivers
Over the years, developers, professionals, and researchers have attempted to make developments on the existing telephones, thus resulting in historical trends. Researchers and improvements have been made on Graham Bell’s initial telephone to effectively improve telephone services and prevent challenges experienced. After Bell gained a patent the invention of the telephone, Elisha Gray developed a telephone by the use of a water microphone. Later on, Tivarda Puskas and Thomas Edison developed telephone switchboards and carbon microphone, respectively (Palm, 2018, p. 583). The telephone was adopted for use in different public places such as railway stations, stock exchange, government offices, and post offices. Consequently, in 1915 a coast to coast long distance developed by Bell and Thomas Watson was inaugurated in the United States. Furthermore, in 1927 a transatlantic phone was developed, and it enhanced communication between the US and UK. Moreover, during the 20th-century, mobile phone were developed, and they were used by police officers, taxicabs and trains as they were transportable. Digital telephone technology was adopted in the twentieth century. Finally, in the 21st century, the internet Protocol telephony ensures that sound and communication are transmitted over the internet.
5. Identification of markets originally targeted
The development of the telephone found a ready market for the previously used modes of communication were less effective. The original market targeted communication between different public places (Sterling, 2004, p. 227). For instance, the communication between people in different urban centers or rural areas was a target market. Additionally, the communication between government offices both in federal and state levels was an original market for telephone technology. This approach ensures that mass communication would be made efficient in the interest of a common good.
6. Emergence roadmap to commercial success
The roadmap to the commercial success of the telephone innovation was occasioned by the ready market and demand for effective communication devices. In this regard, Bell’s electrical telephone introduction was introduced to the market and advertised to compete with the acoustic telephones Hutchby, 2013, p. 44). Consequently, upon the expiry of the Bell telephone patent, different manufacturers engaged in the production of telephones to satisfy the market rising demand. This fact ensured that many people and public places had telephones to enhance communication. Consequently, technology and innovation have consistently improved the telephone to the point that personal mobile phones have been developed. The introduction of mobile phones made it possible for people to have private phones. Private mobile phones have created a clear and successful roadmap for phones across the globe.
7. Critical factors that drove the success of the innovation and provide a critical assessment of your findings.
There are different factors that have made a significant contribution to the success of telephone technology. First, the existing market for telephones has made it possible for telephone companies to consistently develop and design telephones with the expectation of high returns (Allen, 2014, p.581). The high returns and business motivate them to consistently produce phones. Consequently, the telephone industry has remained dynamic by the incorporation of new technology and innovations in the development of telephones. This approach has resulted in development of new and better telephone models.
Conclusion
The telephone innovation development history has been consistent, resulting in significant developments and success. The telephone innovation was occasioned by the need to develop effective means of communication among individuals and groups. Initially, ineffective and weak means of communication were used, resulting in delays in communication, distortion of messages and information as well as misinterpretation of messages. In this regard, consistent development on telephone technology has been made through the incorporation of advanced technology and innovations.
References
Allen, M.D., 2014. Telephone focus groups: Strengths, challenges, and strategies for success. Qualitative Social Work, 13(4), pp.571-583.
Beauchamp, C., 2010. Who invented the telephone? Lawyers, patents, and the judgments of history. Technology and Culture, 51(4), pp.854-878.
Engel, J.S., 2008. The Early History of Cellular Telephone. IEEE Commun. Mag, pp.27-29.
Palm, M., 2018. Then press enter: digital payment technology and the history of telephone interface. Cultural Studies, 32(4), pp.582-599.
RefHutchby, I., 2013. Conversation and technology: From the telephone to the Internet. John Wiley & Sons.
Sterling, C.H., 2004. CBQ Review Essay: History of the Telephone (Part One): Invention, Innovation, and Impact. Communication Booknotes Quarterly, 35(4), pp.222-241.
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-STUDY NOTES-
The history of the telephone dates back to the early 19th century, when inventors began experimenting with ways to transmit sound over distances using electrical signals. Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the first practical telephone in 1876. His design used a liquid transmitter, which converted sound waves into electrical signals that could be transmitted over a wire. Bell’s telephone was a simple device that consisted of a transmitter, a receiver, and a battery, and it could transmit sound over a distance of a few hundred feet.
In the decades that followed, the telephone began to evolve and improve. The liquid transmitter was replaced with a more efficient electromagnetic transmitter, which improved the quality of the sound transmitted. The telephone also began to be used in businesses, and the first switchboards were developed to connect calls between different users.
The invention of the transistor in 1947 revolutionized the telephone industry, making telephones smaller and more reliable. The use of transistors led to the development of the first portable telephone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, which was released in 1983.
With the advent of digital technology, the telephone has undergone further changes. The introduction of digital signal processing in the 1980s improved the quality of sound and allowed for the development of new features such as caller ID and voicemail. The widespread adoption of mobile phones in the 1990s and 2000s has led to the widespread use of telephones.
Today, the telephone has evolved into a multi-functional device that can be used for not only voice calls but also text messaging, email, internet browsing, and a variety of other functions. The continued evolution of technology has led to the development of smartphones, which offer even more advanced features and capabilities.
The telephone has undergone a significant evolution since its invention in 1876. From a simple device that could transmit sound over a short distance to a multi-functional device with advanced features, the telephone has evolved to meet the changing needs of society. The future of the telephone is expected to continue to be shaped by the ongoing advancements in technology.
