Smartphones Have Changed Communication

Texts of General Interest (link)

Dr. James Manos (MD)

January 1, 2018

Smartphones have changed the way we communicate

Undoubtedly, the advent of mobile phones has changed the way people communicate. To most people, their smartphone is not merely a phone but something more: a gadget where they can use numerous apps. Notwithstanding, there are people who cannot adapt to the smartphone vogue and prefer using the less sophisticated mobile phones of previous generations. They use their phone to communicate rather than for various other purposes.

Nowadays, smartphones mean something more than the voice communication of telephones in the past. A smartphone may offer myriads of applications that can be used for various purposes, from reading the latest news to having a virtual personal trainer, a translator, or a weather forecast. It also involves video calls and calls through ‘Skype,’ ‘Viber,’ internet surfing to ‘google’ and ‘YouTube’ videos, photo and video shooting and editing, endless text messages and MMS, and numerous other facilities. Most people today are familiar with smartphone technology and consider it a mandatory gadget, and they cannot live without their smartphone.

On the other side of the spectrum, there is a minority that, for assorted reasons, cannot adjust to smartphone technology. First and foremost, this population includes the old guard, the generation that is less familiar with technology and has difficulty even using a computer. Especially the elderly and, to a lesser extent, the middle-aged are less keen on technology. On the contrary, they are apt to use older technology that, for younger individuals, may seem obsolete, for instance, an older generation mobile phone with buttons instead of a touchscreen. 

Speaking for myself, I have met many times met many people, especially people over retirement age, who prefer using an older model of a mobile phone, as a smartphone would be too complicated to use effectively. Additionally, not all young people own a smartphone, as some prefer older conventional mobile phones, and this comprises a substantial number, but are admittedly fewer than people of older age who are unaccustomed to smartphone technology and their endless applications.  
Today, many people chat on the internet, so smartphones are a way of keeping them ‘247’ online, giving them the opportunity to seek and chat with friends and even flirt, as the internet is a contemporary matchmaker to many. However, people unwilling to use smartphone technology are deemed to be ‘outsiders,’ which may cause them frustration.

However, not adapting to smartphone technology has more significant implications for a young person as contemporary life is built around this technology, and people who are not used to the latest apps may be considered technologically ignorant, having a form of high-tech ‘illiteracy.’ That is especially important to their relationship with others, as today, socializing is based on social media and various other applications, including ‘Instagram,’ that are easily accessible via a laptop and smartphone. For those people who do not use the numerous facilities that a smartphone offers because they are introverted or are reluctant to indulge in the applications, things are complicated regarding finding friends or even a partner. 

Overall, smartphones have changed how contemporary people communicate, especially the young, who have assimilated smartphone technology. On the other hand, people who are not familiar with smartphones, including people over retirement age and, to a lesser extent, younger generations, may feel frustrated. That is because they are deprived of a technology that is considered essential not just to communicate but also to interact with other individuals, to socialize via their social media, and to use various applications that may facilitate their lives.

Thanks for reading!