/ Technology

Do you use your smartphone as a โ€˜phoneโ€™ anymore?

Travel anywhere and youโ€™ll see at least a few people in the now-traditional pose โ€“ head down, hands together, tapping awayโ€ฆ Itโ€™s a look that has become synonymous with the modern-day smartphone.

In fact, I associate smartphones with these browsing and texting mannerisms more than any other of their functions, which raises the question โ€“ is anyone regularly using their device to actually โ€˜phoneโ€™ anyone?

According to research by Ipsos Mori, only three quarters of smartphone owners say they make at least one call a week. This compares with almost all (96%) of them just three years ago.

Texting and scrolling

Iโ€™ve just had a quick scroll through my call history and found regular gaps of two to three days, sometimes more. Yet in that time Iโ€™ve used my phone frequently throughout the day โ€“ easily running the battery down โ€“ doing things other than calling.

What does that tell me? That I need to get out more, probably. But it does also suggest that weโ€™re changing how we choose to interact with one another. After all, itโ€™s not like anyone is forcing us to use texting apps like WhatsApp instead of speaking to each other โ€“ itโ€™s entirely our own preference to have shifted things in that direction.

But itโ€™s not just that weโ€™re texting rather than talking โ€“ itโ€™s that we never seem to be looking away from our phones. Thereโ€™s always something popping up on-screen to distract you; whether itโ€™s Facebook, Twitter, or that game youโ€™re addicted to. For many, persistently reaching for their phone has become something of a reflex reaction. Apparently British adults collectively check their phones 1.1bn times every 24 hours. Who knows how close to reality that statistic actually is, but weโ€™re no doubt glancing at our phones more than ever before.

Are we overindulging? It seems itโ€™s in our nature to search for distractions โ€“ there have been similar concerns in the past with televisions and video game consoles. I used to spend a lot of time browsing the website on a desktop PC, then later a laptop and now a smartphone โ€“ so isnโ€™t this just a natural technological progression towards more convenient devices?

Giving your life back

Swiss consumer electronics company Punkt certainly feels something needs to be done โ€“ itย launched a new phone in September that aims to โ€˜give you your life backโ€™. It makes calls, it sends textsโ€ฆ and thatโ€™s about it. It removes temptation by simply eliminating it entirely. Why the phone costs as much as ยฃ229 is anyoneโ€™s guess, but the idea of taking a backwards step technologically to free yourself from the consuming nature of the internet is an intriguing one.

Would you be able to go back to a phone that acts purely as a phone after all this time? A good old Nokia 3310, for example โ€“ that definitely got the traditional job done, and it was pretty damn indestructible to boot!

I suspect it may be too late to kick the habit for many โ€“ perhaps smartphones have already taken over. Or maybe youโ€™re not like me at all and you only use your mobile phone to make calls. If so, I want to hear from you (just donโ€™t call me about it as I probably won’t answer).

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Comments
Paul says:
2 January 2016

As with most technology smartphones can be really handy – BUT – have you noticed how many people waste so much of their lives getting sucked ever deeper into social networking, gaming etc.. Give me a real life outdoors every time.

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George the Fishmonger ” ‘arternoon Vicar. Oi ‘aven’t seen ee in my wet fish shop recently?”
Vicar ”Ahhh No George. You see Umm WE get our fresh fish direct from Billingsgate by express delivery now.”

One month later

Vicar ”Ahhh, It’s GEORGE, isn’t it?”
G ”Arr t’is, Vicar”
V ”WE haven’t seen you in Church for Ummmmm at least a month?”
G Aaarrr, ’tis True Vicaaar – us do get out Religion fresh from Lunnen by that there express T V.”

This comment was removed at the request of the user

Mike says:
3 January 2016

Although I have a smart fone, I also have a simple cockleshell fone with text ability, no camera, which I use when I`m out and about for pure communication purposes. The advantage of the cockleshell is that it can be kept in my trouser`s pocket without the danger of accidental button pressing. I also still have the Nokia 3310 as a backup spare and it has served me so well, I could`nt possible ditch it now. It`s been a reliable friend. The smart fone is an expensive luxury but I thought I`d treat myself!