Mobile phones and the society
Introduction
Mobile phones are currently some of the devices that are widely used in the society for various purposes. These devices have become an important technology to the society due to their various useful uses that enable the society to function more efficiently and harmoniously. The mobile phone has also evolved to play an integral part in the improvement of the society, and it has played a very important role in the social and economic development of societies all over the world. This paper seeks to explore the role that the innovation and development of the mobile phone has led to the improvement of the society as a whole, and what the future holds for the development of the mobile phone.
Mobile phone usage has become widespread all over the world over the past ten years. The development in technology has seen the use of mobile phones grow from the initial voice communication purposes to many possible uses such as data connectivity, money transfer services and access to television services among other uses.
Importance of mobile phones in the society
The importance of the innovation of the mobile phone to the society cannot be understated. The innovation and development of the mobile phone to its current advanced state has had huge benefits and has resulted in the development of the mobile phone as one of the essential tool for development. Mobile phones have led to the development of a more informed society. The transfer of information from one part of the globe has become very easy due to the communication capabilities offered by the mobile phone. News and important information can now be easily dissipated throughout the world easily and within a short time. The result of a more informed society is the making of quality and informed decisions regarding issues which affect individuals and the society as a whole. Well informed decisions in the society contribute to the development of the society both in social and economic terms (Ling, 203).
The innovation and development of the mobile phone to its current status has led to the development of global networking. This coupled with the invention of social networking technologies such as Facebook and twitter has resulted in the extension of networking capabilities of many individuals in different parts of the world. This increased networking brought about by the innovation of the mobile phone has resulted in the interaction of different cultures and the transfer of beneficial cultural attributes from one society to another. Societies in different parts of the world have been influenced towards positive change by the invention and the development of the mobile phone (McGinn, 163).
Globalization of ideas has been made possible by the invention of the mobile phone. The mobile phone enables individuals and societies in different parts of the world to exchange ideas. This increased interaction has boosted the rate of creativity in different societies and has led to the development of new and socially beneficial inventions such as the mobile money transfer technology. Societies have thus benefitted from these new innovations which have contributed substantially to the improvement of the standards of living (Katz & Aakhus, 245).
The innovation and development of the mobile phone to its current status has contributed immensely towards economic empowerment in the society. Individuals have been able to use mobile phone technology to better their economic well being, resulting in overall improvement of the economic conditions of different societies. The development of the mobile phone technology has led to the development of the communication industry in many parts of the globe. Business in the production of mobile phones, provision of mobile telephony services and the distribution of mobile phones and the use of associated technologies such as mobile phone money transfer are processes which create employment for many individuals and provide a source of income to governments in many countries. This illustrates that the innovations and development of mobile phone technology has been crucial in the economic empowerment of many societies and has contributed positively towards the improvement of the standards of living in many societies (Ling, 207).
The innovation of the mobile phone has resulted in the creation of denser social circles. The enhanced and cheaper communication capabilities offered by mobile phones means that individuals in society are able to interact more closely and effectively. Social integration is critical to the economic and social development of any society, and the mobile phone has enhanced this. Societies are thus able to solve their problems more easily and more inclusively of most of the members of that society (Ling, 211s).
Analysis of the iphone
The iphone is a Smartphone which features high multimedia and internet capabilities which was designed and marketed by the American technology giant Apple inc. it features applications such as a video camera, camera phone, internet capability for emailing and web browsing with both 3G and Wi-Fi capabilities. The iphone uses software developed by both Apple Inc and third parties.
The iphone model is in four generations. The original iphone was a GSM phone, followed by the iphone 3G which integrated 3G cellular network capabilities and GPS location capabilities. The third model was the iphone 3GS which added to its capabilities a compass, a faster processor and a higher resolution camera. The fourth model is the iphone 4 which has two cameras and a higher resolution display.
The iphone offers a range of communication capabilities previously unavailable in many phone models. Other than offering the normal GSM mobile telephony platform, the phone also offers communication on the new cellular communication platforms of 3G and 3GS which enable users experience a more enhanced communication experience and internet browsing. The availability of these cellular communication platforms allows the use of the iphone in different locations with different levels of development of cellular technology. This explains the model’s popularity throughout the world.
The iphone also offers a range of multimedia applications to enhance the user experience. The iphone enables its users to access multimedia content such as music, videos and applications from the internet and offers high storage capabilities ranging from16 GB to 32 GB.
The development of the iphone has led to a revolution of the Smartphone industry. Competing companies such as Blackberry have developed models with similar capabilities to counter the competition of the iphone in the industry. The competition among these companies is spurring further innovation as new technologies are developed in an attempt by these Smartphone manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage over their business rivals. The development of the iphone has also increased the availability of useful technology since earlier models are cheaper and users in many parts of the globe. This further advances the social and economic change that has resulted from the innovation of the mobile phone.
Period before invention of the mobile phone
The initial idea that led to the development of the mobile phone was the need for portability of communication devices. The land line telephone, which was the main means of voice communication over long distances, was fixed and relied on fixed telephone lines to enable smooth communication. This mode of communication was susceptible to disruption whenever land lines were destroyed deliberately and by natural forces such as strong winds, floods and rainstorms. The use of land lines also meant that some remote parts could not be reached and thus communication with such parts was very slow and cumbersome. The reliability of this mode of communication was low, and the need to develop a means of portable wireless communication arose.
Attempts to use wireless radio communication such as that used by ships to communicate to land could not be used effectively over land due to the expensive and largely immobile equipment that was required for its operation. The equipment used was bulky and required high power usage and was therefore even more expensive than the landline telephony that was being used. However, the use of radio communication provided the basis for the development of the mobile phone technology as we know it today.
The first practical mobile phone was invented in 1973 by Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher who developed a handheld device. Since then, the development of the handheld devices has been steady and mobile phones have evolved to the current Smartphone and other advanced mobile devices which support an extended array of applications and offer diverse services to their users. The picture below illustrates the comparison between early models of the mobile phone and the current iphone 4.
The first model of the mobile phone
The iphone 4
References
Katz, J. E. & Aakhus, M. A. (2002). Perpetual contact: mobile communication, private talk, public performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ling, R. S. (2004). The mobile connection: the cell phone impact on society. San Fransisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
McGinn, R. E. (1991). Science, Technology, and Society. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Vaclav, S. (1994). Energy in World History. Boulder: Westview Press.
