Cell phones have become a crucial part of our society. Technological advancements have made it possible for phones to do almost anything and everything for us. We have become extremely codependent on these handheld devices that it is often difficult for people to spend even a second of their day without them.
But how did we get to the point that we are at now? Though it isn’t clear where the idea of telephones originated from, Alexander Graham Bell was one of the first inventors of this revolutionary machine. They were made with the intent to transmit messages using voice and sound. The idea of this communication device arose around the 1870’s. Since then, the design underwent multiple changes; rotary phones, payphones, and wireless phones.
Exterior Builds
Eventually telephones were being designed and manufactured to be smaller and smaller. The first portable phone was the Motorola DynaTAC. It was introduced in 1983 and it weighed about 2.5 pounds and stood at 9-inches tall. The bulky and heavy build to these phones began to be unappealing and smaller phones came into the picture.
During the 1990’s phones were created to be immensely smaller, making it lighter, more convenient and had the ability to fit in one’s pocket. A model that matched this design was the Nokia 1011 which became the first digital handheld GSM phone.
There was a drastic change in the exterior designs of cell phones in the 1990s. Samsung followed up with one of the first touchscreen devices called the SPH-I300. Unfortunately for its competitors, Apple came out with their own touch screen device and gained more popularity. The first generation iPhone was released in 2007 and introduced the idea of phones being a multipurpose tool. And from then on, multiple tech companies created their own versions of smart phones.
Uses of Cell Phones
When smart phones became popular, people started to rely more and more on their devices. People utilized their devices for entertainment purposes, personal, business, and work related tasks. The original function of a phone was to communicate with people from far distances, but it has managed to grow to something much more.
Devices began to include and offer various apps. This led to users having an unlimited selection of software they could install with just a push of a button. One of the most impactful apps included Google which is a popular and reliable web browser people use to search the internet. This allowed people to have information on almost anything they want right at their fingertips. Music apps were also created and allowed users to listen to music on the go. This took over the need for mp3 or record players, which were previous versions of music players. Of course smartphones were still used to talk and text others, but the idea of long distance communication took off when social media apps were created. Companies like Facebook and Instagram gave people the ability to share parts of their lives, thoughts and ideas to the world without having to directly communicate to each individual.
Phones have greatly evolved and will only continue to do so as we continue on the path of a digital world. Nowadays, everyday machines and objects are adapting to the smart world and are constantly being upgraded. Smart refrigerators, smart televisions, and even smart cars. Society has significantly changed over time in attempts to keep up with these technological advancements. We’ve become completely reliant on these devices that it’s hard to tell if they are doing more good than harm.