The Smartphone Society

In these tough economic times, where housing is becoming less affordable and unemployment is rising, people are trying to save as much as they can. Grocery expenses are kept to a bare minimum and overseas travel is a decadent luxury of the all too distant past. However, amidst all this doom and gloom, the recent smartphones launch attracted millions of purchasers around the world in its first week alone. How can this be? How can societies struggling to make ends meet afford to spend hundreds of dollars on what was once considered a luxury? The answer is simple. Smartphones have become a necessity.

A recent study of Korean university students found that an overwhelming 83.8 percent of respondents felt that a smartphone was necessary in modern society; and this trend is reflected globally across various demographics. The fact is that the smartphone has made the difficult transition from a toy of the rich to a necessity of the middle class. This transition can be attributed to one main reason, namely the change in social norms that has risen with the smartphone.

In the past, it was acceptable for a businessperson to reply to correspondence from a client within a few days. Now it is expected that people are always contactable and that correspondence be almost instantaneous. Smartphones are the tools that allow this connectedness, with consistent access to emails, messages and the web. We have become so accustomed to being able to check on our banking affairs, emails and even a weekly weather forecast that we are willing to fork out hundreds of hard-earned dollars for the latest incarnation of the smartphone.

The smartphone has without a doubt revolutionized the way our society works. It has increased productivity, with business being completed over longer distances in shorter times. It has increased social interaction, with permanent access to social networking sites available in your pocket. The smartphone is a symbol of being up to date and being connected. It has gotten to the point where it is almost embarrassing for someone to pull an old traditional cell phone out of their handbag or pocket. That person appears to be disconnected from society, not as able to partake in efficient business as a person equipped with a smartphone.

It is no wonder that so many people worldwide consider the smartphone a necessity. Never before have we been so connected to each other and to society in general. As smartphones become more advanced, we will be willing to pay more for them. It is my bet that smartphones will be weathering the economic storm for many years to come.