In
recent years, smartphones have become ubiquitous. No longer are they considered
an extravagant luxury or a device for only the tech-savvy. Now, they have
become a seemingly required part of our culture. Older cell phones are seen as
inconvenient relics of the past, being phased out, and the sooner the better. Indeed,
smartphones have far more features than their predecessors, and are getting
better all the time. I won’t argue that smartphones won’t totally replace older
phones, because even now it is clear that we are moving to that point. Instead,
I will argue that they simply aren’t yet as indispensable as they are made out
to be, and that it is still very possible to get along just fine with a clunky
old cell phone.
The
main reason I put forth this claim is, of course, that I have one of these
older phones myself and see no need to buy a smartphone. I’ve never felt let
down by the fact that my phone can’t get me my email, can’t use apps, and can’t
even connect to the internet. Would I thoroughly embrace all these things if my
phone did allow me to do them? Yes. Are they enough incentive for me to get a
smartphone? No.
The
cell phone’s main purpose is interpersonal communication. Originally, this
could only take place through phone calls. Texting came along and became an
essential part of a cell phone soon after. Now we have internet access and
email at our fingertips, but it doesn’t feel as important as the first two
methods of communication. Each of these new advances filled a certain void.
Mobile phones changed society when they first came out, allowing calls between
people from almost anywhere. Then, texting came along and allowed for quick
messaging where a phone call was not necessary or possible. Email on
smartphones, by comparison, is not much of a great leap forward. The advantage
is a decrease in time to receive and reply to emails, and the convenience of
answering them during downtime with no access to a computer. These are great
perks, but it is easy to do without them.
Applications,
or apps, also provide an incentive to use a smartphone. These handy programs
allow a world of new functionality to be introduced to the smartphone. If you
can think of it, there likely exists an app for it. Really though, are any of
them essential? No. You’ve made it through most of your life without any of
them. They are a benefit to have, but not necessary.
I’ve
been saying that all these features are a good thing, so why not just get the
smartphone and stop trying to justify living in the past? My own reasons for
not upgrading are simple enough. We can start, first of all, with the money
aspect. My phone bill would more than double, for features that I have never
needed, and won’t give me much of an advantage on my current setup. The new
costs might not kill me, but I am just a poor college student and that extra
money adds up. If we were talking 5-10 extra dollars a month, maybe the
convenience would be worth it. Doubling my phone bill for a few conveniences,
on the other hand, is not. Besides the monthly charges, this talk of price
would be incomplete without considering the hardware itself. Smartphones can
easily go for $200+, are prone to breaking, and become outdated every year or
two. Hardly a good investment.
The
second reason is related to the first: I don’t need to get one. My phone does
what phones are supposed to do, and that’s just fine. As we advance forward and
smartphones become even more of an expected item for anyone to have, I will of
course get one once the benefits outweigh the cost. If my current phone died
tomorrow, I would certainly consider a smartphone to replace it. Technology is
great and I have no intention of being left behind, but at the moment, the
technology just isn’t appealing to me.
These
are just my thoughts and rationalizing of being a computer science student,
working with new technology every day, and not owning the standard phone of the
times. Smartphones seem set to be a necessity in the future, and I am perfectly
okay with that, although perhaps not exactly welcoming of that day. Until that
day comes, however, I get by just fine with my old brick of a phone.
Actually, depending on your carrier you can usually get a smartphone for free by extending your two year contract. Also if cost is a concern you can get the lowest data plan offered since high data usage doesn't sound like something you would really be using since you aren't interested in responding to emails that quickly or browsing the web from your phone. If you are, however, you can use wi-fi that way you don't have to worry going over your data plan.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael. Thanks for sharing. I've become very interested in the issue of technological adoption, and one of the things that a scholar might draw out of your post is an example of how people think through buying a new thing. Recently, I've been thinking a cool study would be to survey how many after-market apps people have downloaded on their phones. I imagine we would see different subcultures of users. Some tech savvy folks might have many apps on their phone, while people who are more or less uninterested in smartphone apps would only have the apps that come standard. (I think I've downloaded like ten of them.) You could then study the demographic backgrounds of each user (age, ethnicity, class, education level, identification with geek culture, etc.) as a means of getting a different cultures of tech adoption.
ReplyDeleteI agree that you can survive without a smartphone. Many of the features can be considered conveniences at best and there are many that I have never found a reason to use at all.
ReplyDeleteHowever, phones with internet access are becoming more and more common. It is reaching the point where it is expected to have internet access. Maybe you don't need the fancy gadgets such as the GPS and gyroscope, but I find the ability to check my email no matter where I go indispensable. An internet browser can save you if you are in a tight spot, such as looking for a specific address or some random piece of information.
I agree that you can survive without a smartphone. Many of the features can be considered conveniences at best and there are many that I have never found a reason to use at all.
ReplyDeleteHowever, phones with internet access are becoming more and more common. It is reaching the point where it is expected to have internet access. Maybe you don't need the fancy gadgets such as the GPS and gyroscope, but I find the ability to check my email no matter where I go indispensable. An internet browser can save you if you are in a tight spot, such as looking for a specific address or some random piece of information.