This paper examines the broad societal impact of smartphones, focusing on how these devices have transformed the way people communicate, access information, and conduct daily activities. Beginning with a definition of the smartphone and its key features, the paper surveys major use cases including phone calls, texting, email, social media, healthcare information, education, commerce, and journalism. It also addresses criticisms of smartphone culture, including concerns about privacy, cyberbullying, and social isolation. The paper concludes that while smartphones carry real risks, their benefits to connectivity and daily life appear to outweigh the negatives, and their influence on society will likely continue to grow.
Mobile is the new Internet. With nearly 4 billion mobile phones in use, the size and reach of the mobile market is vastly bigger than the PC industry (Berman, 2013). The smartphone is leading the pack. By definition, a smartphone is a cellphone with brains — it is smart enough to do much more than just make phone calls. It serves as a handheld computer, personal calendar, web browser, calculator, e-reader, and database (Agger, 2011). Perhaps most important, a smartphone is able to receive wireless calls. Traditional cell phones can also send and receive email or allow for web browsing; however, most lack the ease and flexibility offered by a smartphone. The smartphone has quickly become the preferred computing device for many Americans and was predicted to be owned by nearly 90% of all consumers in the United States by 2015 (ExactTarget, 2011).
Noteworthy characteristics of smartphones include their miniature keyboards, which come complete with keypad shortcuts to allow for more seamless texting. Smartphones also allow users to download Word and PDF attachments and view them on screens large enough for messages to be legible. Anywhere internet access is a standard feature of smartphones. The devices use the phone's mobile-network connection and special data plans — available at an extra monthly fee — for network-driven functions such as email and instant messaging (Agger, 2011). Smartphones range in size and shape, with most being small enough to fit into a pocket.
The world of innovative technical solutions has shaped the way we communicate, collaborate, and interact today. Smartphones are, for the most part, communication devices with additional computing power built in. The fact that they are more comparable to personal computers means that users have more options. User activities are fully supported through effective functionality that speeds networking between people. There is more emphasis on social settings and communication needs than on computation (Berman, 2013). This paper focuses on the ways that smartphone technology has changed information sharing and social connections — interactions that would be difficult or impossible to achieve without smartphone technology.
Not only is the smartphone uniquely qualified for enhanced digital communication, it can also create interesting content in the form of video, audio, or text. Its two-way functionality and information sharing is ideal for supportive social computing (Agger, 2011). The fact that many of us are dependent on these devices speaks to their utility, effectiveness, and pervasiveness in our lives (Berman, 2013). According to Agger, smartphones as a percentage of all mobile phones were expected to grow from 13.4% in 2009 to 25.2% by 2014 (2011). Several categories of smartphone applications are worth considering in terms of how they have improved connectivity and information sharing in society.
Most people actually use their smartphones to make phone calls, which remains the most common use of the device (Agger, 2011). Thirty-one percent of consumers say they use their smartphones to make calls "constantly throughout the day," while 69% make several phone calls each day (ExactTarget, 2011). In total, 87% indicate making at least one call per day. Studies suggest texting is the second most popular use of smartphones, with over 50% of users texting several times per day. Email is the third most common activity, with over 53% of consumers reporting that they use their smartphone to check email several times per day (ExactTarget, 2011). Web browsing is also a top smartphone activity, with general web surfing and news reading being reported as the most common such activities (Berman, 2013).
To further support interactions and communications between individuals, the smartphone offers new experiences through social media (Agger, 2011). Facebook is the only social media outlet used by a majority of smartphone owners on a daily basis (ExactTarget, 2011). Most users log in each day and stay connected, while others check in at least once daily. This includes both men and women of all social classes and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Smartphones have screens suitable for high-resolution information displays and offer impressive processing power, data memory, and low-to-no-cost short- and long-range connections (Agger, 2011).
Almost all smartphones also support Bluetooth communication, a wireless standard offering free local connectivity. Bluetooth technology lets devices discover each other and exchange data with differing levels of user input. As a result of these features and capabilities, people stay in constant communication. Today, smartphone users can access and update their dating profiles, search for loved ones, apply for jobs, attend college classes, blog, and shop (Berman, 2013). This marks a new era in technology.
"Health apps, educational access, and mobile commerce"
"Citizen journalism and changing news consumption"
"Privacy risks, cyberbullying, and social isolation"
Smartphones do appear to be the way of the future. Even as the recession peaked around 2009, smartphone sales increased (Agger, 2011). Society has come to look on smartphone devices, apps, and instant deliverables as a way to improve quality of life. This almost suggests that society today is evolving around smartphones and not the other way around. As a result of smartphone popularity, businesses, colleges, website developers, and social media platforms have all had to give considerable attention to smartphone web usability when designing their products. Websites must be far more streamlined in terms of design, content, and navigation. Smartphones will likely continue to be the primary mechanism by which the public interacts with these sites, and there is a real risk of losing large numbers of potential visitors if proper adaptations are not considered.
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