Mobile technology is moving at such a pace that it's hard to keep up. Each manufacturer is trying to outdo the others with a new development, and every new development is then adopted, refined and extended by others.

Here are our idea of the Top 5 mobile phone developments (in no particular order), some of which have arrived (albeit in a limited way) and others which are coming in the future:

Mobile 3D

It's all the rage at the cinema and is now moving into the home market too. Developments in 3D without having to wear glasses means that 3D is now available on a handful of mobile handsets such as the HTC Evo 3D and LG Optimus 3D. More 3D content for mobiles is being developed which will further spur manufacturers to include it in future SmartPhone specs.

NFC

Near Field Communications. This is the technology found in contactless payment systems such as the Oyster Card. It will allow you to pay for small items such as newspapers, chocolate bars etc. with a swipe of your mobile. Handsets are already including it within their specs, although there are not many retailers where it can be used currently. Alliances between manufacturers, banks and mobile networks will ensure this system gains ground in the very near future.

4G

Whilst the current 3G mobile data network can only deliver a maximum of 14.4Mbps, 4G promises speeds up to 300Mbps. Unfortunately this is very much one for the future. Even though 4G is already available in some countries the likelihood is that it will not see the light of day in the UK until 2013.

Cloud Technology

As more businesses move their infrastructure into the cloud the need for mobile devices which can interact with this information on the move will increase. Whilst existing SmartPhones offer the connectivity, the user experience is not always good on a restricted size screen. Tablets can give a better experience but are harder to carry around. Devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Note, with its 5.3 inch screen, may become more popular as devices which offer the best of both worlds.

Voice Recognition

Could Siri, the personal assistant on Apple's new iPhone 4S based on voice recognition and limited AI, be a game changer? The signs are good. Early reports of its usefulness are very positive and it is almost certain that other manufacturers/OSs will be including more advanced voice recognition technology in the future.

Billed as "the most amazing iPhone yet" the iPhone 4S boasts a faster dual-core A5 chip and a range of other features which keep iPhone ahead of the pack:

• 8MP camera with all new optics
• 1080p HD video
• Retina display screen
  
• iOS5
• iCloud
• Siri (voice command intelligent assistant).

It will be available from October 14th in the UK from Apple stores starting at £499 for a 16GB version.

The iPhone 4S features in more detail

Running iOS5, an operating system with 200 extra features according to Apple, in tandem with the new A5 chip (two times more power and up to seven times faster graphics) it will be faster than the iPhone 4 for just about everything but still retaining an excellent battery life too.

The Retina display screen is the highest-resolution phone screen ever with a pixel density so high that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels, ideal for displaying photos from the 8-megapixel resolution camera with a custom lens and larger f/2.4 aperture. Or the 1080p HD video which runs at 30 frames per second.

iCloud stores music, photos, apps, mail, contacts, calendars, documents and more which can be shared across all of your Apple devices (including iPads and iPods).

Then there's Siri, your own virtual assistant which responds to your voice commands. According to Apple Siri "not only understands what you say, it knows what you mean. It works out the right apps to use to find the right answer.  It makes phone calls, sends messages, schedules meetings, sets reminders and more." All with the power of your voice.

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