Definitely, this discussion is not that relevant for anybody belonging to Generation Z or alpha. They grew up with smartphones or, in general, electronic gadgets. However, I being pretty much a millennial, have seen it all. I belong to that generation of people who have seen the pre-internet or pre-smartphone era, however, thrived in the pinnacle of the digital age.
I was born (1985) and brought up in India, and got my first cell phone ever when I was 17-18ish. That was early 2004. It was that bygone era of old 'unsmart' phones where the primary purpose of the phone was just to dial and receive calls or to send text messages. That was a time when the phone screens were only black and white. The ring tones were dull and boring. There was an immense storage problem in that low-capacity device. I had to clear the memories of the inbox every now and then to read the new incoming text.
I got my first 'smart' phone ever in 2011. That was a Blackberry model. I used that for hardly a few months as I could not stop indulging in getting myself a brand new iPhone-4. Just to mention, I moved to the USA at that time. Believe it or not, I was in complete love with this sleek white charm as soon as I unboxed. You may say, it's the trap of capitalism, but I am not the only one. This smartphone (read iPhone) fever captured the world.
Long story short, my life got changed. It's not about flaunting the prized possession or the pride of being a part of this elite, rich league. The effect of smartphones on human lives is even more impactful. In this article, I am going to take a retrospect of the arc of this journey of transition. To pay this homage, I am gathering down my thoughts pointwise:
- The connectivity is very obvious. The sole purpose of the device is to make you connected. We have LTE/ 5GE technology now, which gives the better connectivities. The availability and the speed of the mobile data (internet) is the key. With different applications (e.g., Whatsapp), it's effortless to connect with people throughout the world. Cheap or even free international calls, video calls, and texts literally made the world our new village.
- My life became more serene and secure. Yes, definitely so. Long ago, I used to scare when I traveled alone to a new place. Thanks to Google/Apple Maps in a smartphone, that insecurity has gone. Finding a destination has never been so easy. I don't need to know a place but can safely drive or take public transport to reach the goal. The inbuilt GPS on my phone is my ultimate guide. My insecurity and fear have gone. I can safely travel alone. The smartphone applications of translation (Google translator) is something that eradicates all the language problems and miscommunication globally.
- With ride-sharing (Lyft/Uber) cab applications in my smartphone made the life easy for travel. These are the easiest cabs ever to deal with, with all security features. The payment is also no big deal, as these applications safely handle the monetary transaction online.
- Which inevitably brings me to the next point. Now given the smartphone with me, I really don't need to carry cash or even cards (at least in the first world countries like the US). There are so many applications (chase pay/Apple pay, etc.) that can be used to pay in groceries or restaurants. So nowadays I travel really light.
- Smartphones changed my idea or perceptions of life. The fear of the unknown has gone. Every time, whenever I need any tiny bit of information (say, the current flight status), even when I am outside or in the middle of anything, I can get that using Google/Safari or the appropriate applications. So I really feel shielded.
- Smartphone cameras changed my life. Previously I was a DSLR person. Nowadays, I am thinking of selling that old mate, as I hardly bother to carry that heavy stuff. The lighter iPhone camera is of so much excellent caliber that one hardly needs the DSLR even for severe photographic interest. The smart cameras in the phones made life simpler. I don't remember things, simply get a picture.
- A lot of different lifestyle or gaming applications in the smartphone has really been impactful. Though reading books/articles is not very convenient, but manageable. With YouTube applications in smartphones, the experience of listening to music has been reached to the next level of freedom. With all the different choices and availabilities, listening to music is a totally personalized experience, which is giving some sense of liberation.
- The rating applications on smartphones, such as Yelp/Google review on maps, make it very easy to find a place of interest. Finding a good restaurant for any particular cuisine in a new city has never been so easy.
- I feel much more productive and organized using the smart device. Using the notes and calendars, I feel more organized in my life. I usually don't miss any deadlines or forget anything important, which was an issue before I got my smartphone on.
- While talking about smartphones, one cannot neglect social media applications. Before the smartphone era, I have enjoyed using Facebook on the laptop, but with the smartphone on, the appeal of this social media or chat applications reached to the next level. I can be 'online' 24 hours without any obstacle. To address any notification, it's just a matter of finger touch. Day in and day out, the connectivities through FB/Instagram/ WA or any typical social media apps are too addictive.
- Finding friends or dating partners has never been that easy in the pre-smartphone era. There are many applications like Tinder/OkCupid has been immensely popular nowadays, and definitely changed my life. I have seen or talked to a lot of different random people worldwide, which gives a sense of liberation.
- Every good thing in the world probably comes with a cost, so right for smartphones too. Now I am going to describe what are the negative impacts it has brought to my life. The first one to start with is addictivity. I have never been so addicted to anybody/ any material ever. The smartphone took away all my attention, as I have grown a constant habit of scrolling the phone. Sometimes it seems that I really need to consider the counseling or a therapist to have smartphone detox. Even though I feel connected with people, I feel disconnected from my neighbor or partner. As nobody pays attention to the world outside the phone screen, it has been an extremely unhealthy obsession of being stuck into the phone even when I am enjoying the dinner with my partner.
- I guess my patience decreased. I am always looking for newer and quicker entertainments while getting bored into a single thing quickly. As the smartphones offer too many options and applications, that people are still in a search mode to find the best one. So instead of giving proper attention to any particular thing, I start to deviate and scroll through social media or any other applications.
- I have always been technologically agnostic. Now with my high interest in smartphones, I keep on eyes on upcoming technology and stuff. At the same time, I feel I am becoming more and more acquisitive. Even though my cell phone is doing perfectly okay, I feel the urge to get the newer version with more features and more modern technologies. Also though I can see the consumerist traps, I cannot help submitting to it.
Overall, I think smartphones are making people a little loner in physical space and cutting down patience.
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