Well Samsung is the obvious candidate for integrating laptop, iPad and iPhone functionality. We’ll see. I don’t see it happening. There would be a market for such a device but not a big one.
I just think it is a Human Engineering issue. You need to scale screen size vs. keyboard size vs weight vs. functionality to match human need. But there is no magic point where you can get a one size fits all solution to that design problem.
Ak yourself: How big would this 3-way device be?
Microsoft Surface is a tablet and laptop but no phone as far as I know. It has not set the world on fire though.
The answer to the next steps of evolution in screen technology is not to get bigger, but to get smaller and closer to the eye.
Step one will be some sort of a Google Glass type display which will project onto your retina. It has the advantage of complete portability while appearing as a giant sized display.
Step two will be a contact lens that does the same thing.
Step three will be an implant or they will come up with a way of transmitting signals through a skullcap or other type of technology.
This will be coupled with ever increasing synchronization between the phone/computer hardware and you, starting with near perfect speech recognition and moving eventually to implanted or skin contact direct interface with the brain.
Mankind will evolve into a cybernetic organism within the next century, and will likely leave behind the “meat sack” and become completely digital and mechanical immortal beings within the next 1000 years.
To paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke, if this seems preposterous, then just maybe I am close to predicting what may come. BTW, he predicted all of the above in his books.
I like the Samsung Mega, but I know that would be a lot for some people. I would use it as a tablet replacement and access the telephone functionality with a bluetooth headset.
Maybe a device that has parts. You can carry just the phone, or you could snap it to the tablet, that would then use the phone's data and telephone connection. You could also add a keyboard, like the Microsoft Surface, if you want laptop functionality. Include expandable memory, a micro-SD slot and a multi-format video and music player, instead of trying to lock the user into a certain media distribution network, and you would have a winner.