A mobile phone is a portable telephone that uses cellular network technology to make and receive calls. The name comes from the cell-like structure of these networks. There is some confusion about the fact that mobile phones are classified differently than smartphones. However, technically every mobile phone, from the latest Android phone to the most basic feature phone, is a mobile phone. It’s all about the technology used to transmit your calls, rather than what the phone itself can or cannot do. As long as a phone can send a signal to a cellular network, it’s a mobile phone.

The term "mobile phone" is interchangeable with the terms "cell phone" and "mobile phone." They all mean the same thing. The term "smartphone" refers to a mobile phone that offers advanced features beyond voice calls, text messages, and basic organizer software. When people talk about mobile phones, "mobile phone" is usually used to describe a simple feature phone. In contrast, "smartphone" describes advanced touchscreen phones.

Motorola developed the first commercially available mobile phone between 1973 and 1983, and it went on sale in the U.S. in early 1984. This massive 28-ounce mobile phone, called the DynaTAC 8000x, cost $3,995 and required a recharge after only 30 minutes of use. The DynaTAC 8000x is almost unrecognizable as a mobile phone compared to the devices we use today.

It is estimated that there were more than 6 billion mobile phones (including smartphones) in use at the end of 2020.