- "Phones get better at managing their emissions": yeah, that's true: modern phones don't emit more power on RF than they absolutely need to to communicate. That's why you get *less* RF exposure if your cellular tower network is denser (common misconception: the tower in your neighborhood exposes you to more power; the opposite is true if you own a phone). But *power control* exists in GSM, too. So, not a new thing, not the reason.
- "more talkative… checking GPS": GPS is passive…