Who doesn't have a cell phone these days, right? And, of course, a camera is a must for capturing all of those memorable moments. Combine these two and what do you get? You would have a camera phone, which was first invented by the Sharp Corporation in 2000. With the rise in cellular phones and the convenience of a built-in camera, the two were bound to meet.

During its earliest years, the camera phone offered a smaller resolution of approximately 2 to 3 megapixels. While this is still very much common in the market place, there are now camera phones that feature 7 and 8 mexapixel resolution.

The invention of the camera phone has played a significant role in the detection and identification of criminals, the coverage of news and improved journalism technique. In addition, it simply provides a fun way for family and friends to communicate through pictures and share special moments that can only be captured on film, such as a child's first steps or other memorable occurrence. As with anything, there are risks to coincide with the benefits. Inappropriate camera phone usage may include invasion of privacy, copyright violations and/or infringement, etc. An example of copyright infringement would be taking photographs at places where photography is prohibited, such as casinos, certain live performance events and other locations. For these reasons, some organizations have banned the use of camera phones altogether.

So, just what is the most popular use of the camera phone? According to one developer in the industry, the camera phone was designed with working professionals in mind. Individuals who are always on the go and spend a lot of time away from their families, due to work, may use a camera phone to trade images with their loved ones. The idea was designed to be simple so that even a child could operate the camera phone in order to trade photos with their mom, dad or other siblings. In an effort to make the photos as clear as possible, designers created the camera phone with the same mexapixel capabilities as a traditional digital camera.

Today, some camera phones even feature a video option, which allows the transmission of videos or help to connect video calls between parties. This feature connects the speakers through not only voice, but through live video as well. The idea here is to connect people who are apart in actuality, but wish to feel closer through the use of their camera phone's live video capability.