The display of every mobile phone is practically identical when it comes out of the box – there’s the battery and the signal meters, the menu options, the name of the mobile operator or network and, for some, a very simple graphic in the background. It used to be the case that users couldn’t change the image that’s displayed when the phone is on standby, if it did display an image at all. However, as people began to make their mobile phones more and more personal, the demand increased for the user ability to change the graphics displayed when the phone isn’t doing it. Like it has done for many other personalization trends, Nokia was the first to cater for this customer craving for graphic customization, and they started it with the logo.

An Evolution: From Pixel to Pictures

Nokia’s first customization offerings came in the form of small, horizontal clumps of pixels that were cleverly arranged to form an image or a silhouette. That chunk of pixels occupied about a third of the mobile phone display and was, at first, enough for the graphics-deprived market. These simple logos, which usually came as words, variations of the Nokia logo or basic figures, were preinstalled in what were then the latest Nokia phones. Nokia users would very soon discover how to create and use their own personal logos, boosting the initial logo craze to greater heights. People could then have their names, the face of their favorite celebrity or an insignia as a rudimentary wallpaper on their mobile display. Soon enough, full-featured and user-friendly programs came out to help the everyday user to make their own logo from an image and then transfer it onto a phone.

Transformation: From Picture to Pixels

Software is now available all over the net that will allow you to make your very own logo. Many of them take a picture (usually supplied by you) and then translate or simplify the image information into that of the logo. The image then goes from a colored, megapixel photograph to a much simpler monochromatic version. Remember that logos only give you limited options – either a black pixel is present or absent – to work with. Once you have your finished logo, you now have to transfer it onto your mobile phones. There are many options available today to help you achieve this goal. First there are the cables, which are often included in the standard package of the unit. Then there are wireless connections like infrared or Bluetooth. If all those are unavailable, you could send the finished logo through MMS or through email and then open it on your mobile phone.

A Craze: Pixel-Perfect

Logos, by themselves, were able to create their own niche in pop culture before they were overshadowed by the more sophisticated colored images and wallpapers now available on mobile phones. Logos were able to act as graffiti walls on users’ mobile phones, allowing people to post thoughts, feelings and statements on them. They’re practically in the same class as the graphic or statement t-shirt - they exist to carry someone’s ideas and to be seen by others. Much like what ringing tones did for mobile sounds, mobile logos were able to become graphical outlets for creative expression, and a place where people could post just about anything they wanted without fear that it will be seen by the wrong people. As they are now easy to transfer and even easier to make, graphic logos will survive, despite all the technological advancements and developments in graphical technology, as long as users still have something to say.