Guided Argumentative Research. Smartphones in the Modern World

Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
Smartphones in the Modern World
The current age can correctly be termed as the smartphone age. Smartphones have completely revolutionized the society. They have become an integral part of people’s lives, a part that most members of the society cannot do without. The dependence of the modern population on smartphones has gone so deep that it is at times seen as a form of colonization. Smartphones have been accused of turning people into zombies who cannot fully function without the help of their smartphones. However, despite the criticism from different quarters, the use of smartphones around the world keeps soaring. More and more apps that affect human life in different ways are being developed. Moreover, the smartphones are getting lighter, cheaper and more user-friendly. Therefore, it is inevitable that the gadgets are going to end up in more hands in the future. It is also inevitable that smartphones are going to control more and more aspects of people’s lives going into the future. As the wave gets stronger, it is important for the society to ask some important questions regarding smartphones. For instance, should smartphones be allowed to control the people’s lives? Smartphones play a crucial part of our everyday life, presenting both benefits and some drawbacks.
Growth of Smartphones
A smartphone can be referred to any class of multi-purpose mobile devices that differs from feature phones due to their superior hardware capabilities as well as extensive operating systems that facilitate broader multimedia functionality, software, and a multitude of other functions. The devices hit the market in the 1990s. However, the devices became mainstream in 2007 following the introduction of the iPhone by Apple. iPhone offered customer-friendly features, including a virtual keyboard and a touch screen interface that completely revolutionized the smartphone industry. In late 2008, smartphones running on Android were introduced into the market. Ever since, the industry has steadily developed and grown in market size, models, and suppliers. Up to 2011, Nokia was the world’s leading vendor of smartphones. However, the dynamics have since changed. Today, Samsung is the leading vendor closely followed by Apple. Other vendors include Huawei, Xiaomi, Lenovo, among others. Android has also become the leading operating system. Smartphone shipments around the world are estimated to hit 1.7 billion units by 2020. Moreover, it is estimated that 40% of the world’s population will be in possession of a smartphone by the year 2021 (statista). Smartphones have changed the world in ways that other technological milestones such as the television and the telephone did not. Today, more than one billion people use smartphones globally. Smartphones give them access to more than 2 million apps. It is estimated that four out of every five phones bought in the United States are smartphones. Studies show that more than 60% of internet traffic comes from smartphones and not desktops anymore. More than one billion search queries are made on Google daily from offices and homes. It is estimated that individuals check their smartphones every 6.5 minutes. That is the story of how smartphones have colonized the current generation; of how the smartphones have completely revolutionized the society in less than a decade. As the devices get lighter with every model launched, their impact on society gets heavier. People no longer have to buy cameras to take photos or write letters to communicate. They only need a smartphone (Phillips).
Advantages of Smartphones
The impact that smartphones have had on human interactions can be termed as the biggest advantage of the devices. While in the past talking on the phone was the most popular means of social connection, smartphones brought with them alternatives such as texting and the ever increasing social media avenues. Smartphones have also enabled rapid and up-to-the-minute acquisition of information. People no longer have to crowd around televisions to know to keep up with the news. Similarly, they no longer have to wait for the morning newspaper to know what is going on around the world. News from any part of the world is just a click away at any time of the day. Web surfing that was made possible by smartphones enables people to research and access any type of information from thousands of websites anytime and anywhere. This also serves as a means of education for the population. Smartphones provide a friendly and enjoyable learning experience through educational videos and applications.
Smartphones are also a great source of entertainment. One can download music, books, videos, and games. Millions of Americans use smartphones, mostly for gaming. The millions of apps available in smartphones enable people to perform a multitude of other tasks. The functionality of these apps varies from payment systems, video and photo editing, personal assistant, data analysis, online stores, ticket booking, among others. Today, the majority of smartphones are equipped with GPS, which enables people to locate and access different locations globally. Moreover, as online businesses gain momentum, smartphones are proving to be a trusted tool.
Future Use of Smartphones
Other than the basic uses of smartphones, they are increasingly being used for more sophisticated functions. These functions are bound to become more complex moving into the future. Future inventions are going to be more about the ecosystems that surround the smartphones rather than the actual phone. These inventions are bound to transform the society further. Virtual reality (VR) is one of such inventions. Though various firms are developing VR headsets as stand-alone technologies, they are being incorporated in smartphones, which run them. This arrangement is going to increase the accessibility of VR to mainstream users. VR is applicable in the fields of marketing, real estate, gaming, among others.
The wearable market has experienced exponential growth in recent years. The g...