Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is launching a pair of top-end smartphones in select countries in sub-Saharan Africa: South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. These regions have been chosen for this expansion thanks to their strong economies and prolific internet usage. But is there enough of a gap in the market?

Smartphones are no longer just a means of communicating. They wake us up, get us from A to B and even help us find love. We’ve almost forgotten their original purpose. Text trumps voicecalls and apps trump SMS – it’s a good time to ask – what’s the future of the mobile phone?

How is tactile technology changing the way we communicate? Why has going off the grid never looked more appealling? Why do we want to speak to our doctors at the touch of a button? And have emoticons become a language that everyone can understand?

Canvas8’s 2016 Expert Outlook on communications explores whether ‘impermanent networks’ will be the platforms of choice in the future, if people are becoming more careful about what they share on social media, and how brands can listen to consumers to better suit their needs.