Are Smartphones Really That Smart?

So instead of writing about talking about Samsung or Apple today per the usual I am emphasizing more on core features of the smartphone and what makes them so smart. First and foremost internet browsing is great to have but even non smart phones could do that before we had today's smartphones. Cameras were also prevalent on non smartphones too as well as texting capabilities. So what is it that makes smartphones stand out so much? It certainly isn't their battery life, my old phones used to last me two days before needing a charge and that was with texting and making a few calls a day. In fact the only smart phone that I am aware of that actually last for a couple days without charge is the Droid Razor Maxx. So again I reiterate what makes a smartphone so special? Hint, Apple has made a killing off of it since the beginning of the iPhone. Apps and if you guessed that then goo job. Most non smart phones are only capable of carrier made apps or if you have a phone that supports J2ME(Java To Micro Edition). With the introduction to apps we have a world full of customization, or lack there of depending on the platform, which makes our smartphones just that much more smart. However there is a cost to this. First and foremost you pay a premium for the handset, the service, the carrier plans, and the battery life. On average app can drain you battery life by 25% and some as much as half depending on what app you are using. Pandora is one of the power hungry ones that I personally love but hate too. So where or what is the fix for this? So far it seems power sipping processors and customizing the software is helping but what really makes the phones last longer? The battery of course! The problem with the battery is that they can only be so big before compromising the size and aesthetics of the phone. Hence the screen wars. Everyone thinks the bigger the better the screen but is it really because manufacturers want bigger screens or are there underlying reasons, cough Larger battery placement cough, that is the question here. So is their another solution besides processors and larger batteries? Yes and the solution is not as simple as the answer. Solar power for your cellular phones. Yes you still need a battery to run a solar powered phone and yes you still will have to charge the phone from time to time and you will also be sacrificing the aesthetics a bit and size will be an issue but what if you didn't mind having the back of the phone covered in solar panels and just used a clear case for extra protection? Technology is advanced enough to be able to do this and sorry to say the money hungry corporations out there that want you to buy new batteries and new phones all the time are whats making solar power not just for phones difficult to accomplish. So with all of this said I ask you the consumer. What kind of smartphone do you want for the future? One that's truly smart or one that's just what the manufacturers want you to think is smart?