When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, few people could’ve imagined how it would profoundly change our world. After all, cell phones were commonplace, and most people had access to them for calling and texting. There were basic Java applications and even games like Pac-Man and Snakes. However, it was nothing like what we have today with a wide variety of smartphones based on Android and iOS. Smartphones have completely changed the way we look at computing. Before, people had to either use a desktop or laptop to do basic tasks, meaning they had to be home or carry a bulky laptop around. People also had to take photographs with a cheap point-and-shoot camera to capture precious moments on their vacation.
A Short History of Smartphones
Before 2007, the cell phone industry was dominated by RIM. This company produced the BlackBerry, one of the most iconic phones in the world during its reign at the top. The BlackBerry was everything you could ever need in a phone, providing security, ease of use, and performance. It came with a variety of useful apps you could use to make your daily life much easier. That is one of the many reasons why it was a mainstay among government officials during its time. It even had a physical keyboard, making it much easier to type emails or messages to family and friends. There were also iconic phones like the ones from Nokia and Kyocera. These phones came with a basic operating system and a color screen. That all changed when Apple launched the first iPhone in 2007. It removed the physical keyboard and even had an App Store from which you could download apps to extend its functionality.
How Smartphones Changed Apple
Apple was one of the companies most affected by the rise of smartphones. Before smartphones, Apple was mostly known for its desktops and laptops. It was a small player in the personal computing industry, offering hardware and software mostly used by creative professionals. That is one of the many reasons you would mostly see Apple computers in Hollywood productions where people were editing video or audio. Apple’s products used IBM Power processors and eventually Intel Core processors. Today, Apple is a $1 trillion company, ranking among the most valuable in the world. It has a money-printing machine in the form of the App Store, generating billions of dollars in profits every year. Apple also has a powerful lineup of desktops, laptops, and tablets all using an in-house design based on the ARM architecture. The one iPhone launched has turned Apple from an average tech company into one of the most valuable companies. Apple is now a mainstay in tech, being a place where the best workers try to apply.
Smartphones for Photography
Photography is also an area where smartphones have had a profound impact. Before smartphones, you had to get a separate device to take pictures while vacationing. Fewer pictures were being taken because the most advanced cameras were expensive. On top of that, DSLRs were quite bulky, making them difficult to carry around. You had to bring plenty of batteries because the average camera could only take a few hundred pictures before needing a battery change. They are also quite slow, making it much harder to capture spontaneous moments that would disappear after a few seconds. For example, you would easily miss seeing an animal dash across the street or a celebrity about to get in a car. Today, smartphones have revolutionized photography, completely replacing entry-level point-and-shoot cameras. In fact, most smartphones can even compete with some of the high-end point-and-shoot cameras available today. Computational photography has advanced, offering visual performance comparable to many professional cameras.
Smartphones for Daily Tasks
Smartphones have now become a mainstay in our daily lives. There is now an app for almost everything you need to do. Do you want to go shopping? You can order everything you want on your smartphone and have it delivered right to your door. Banking? Your bank has a smartphone app that even lets you deposit checks without going to a local branch. For most people, depositing and withdrawing cash are the only reasons to go to a physical bank nowadays. Almost everything can be done right at home because of the ubiquity of various apps. There are also many attachments you can add to your camera for extra functionality. For example, you can have infrared pictures with an attachment and a smartphone app. It is a lot easier to travel because of the real-time maps that even integrate public transportation information. When you reach your destination, you can translate phrases from other languages, allowing you to communicate with locals.
Downsides of Smartphones
While smartphones have had a great impact on our lives, there are still issues we must contend with. One of them is that smartphones have made it much harder to focus. Kids brought up on smartphones have a much more difficult time concentrating on daily tasks. That will make it much harder for them to function in the future, causing more illnesses in the population. Smartphones are also so ubiquitous that it is almost impossible to do basic things without a smartphone. Owning a smartphone has become a requirement instead of just an option.
Despite the downsides, smartphones are more important than ever, putting human knowledge into your hands. As network speeds get faster, smartphones will gain much more functionality, allowing them to do even more. For example, 5G is hailed as a network standard that will provide speeds good enough for phones to play video games with the graphic fidelity of consoles without needing to purchase any additional hardware. Smartphone cameras are also advancing to where we might not need professional DSLRs. These are only a few reasons why smartphones have changed our world for the better and will continue to do so for a while.
When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, few people could’ve imagined how it would profoundly change our world. After all, cell phones were commonplace, and most people had access to them for calling and texting. There were basic Java applications and even games like Pac-Man and Snakes. However, it was nothing like what we have today with a wide variety of smartphones based on Android and iOS. Smartphones have completely changed the way we look at computing. Before, people had to either use a desktop or laptop to do basic tasks, meaning they had to be home or carry a bulky laptop around. People also had to take photographs with a cheap point-and-shoot camera to capture precious moments on their vacation.
A Short History of Smartphones
Before 2007, the cell phone industry was dominated by RIM. This company produced the BlackBerry, one of the most iconic phones in the world during its reign at the top. The BlackBerry was everything you could ever need in a phone, providing security, ease of use, and performance. It came with a variety of useful apps you could use to make your daily life much easier. That is one of the many reasons why it was a mainstay among government officials during its time. It even had a physical keyboard, making it much easier to type emails or messages to family and friends. There were also iconic phones like the ones from Nokia and Kyocera. These phones came with a basic operating system and a color screen. That all changed when Apple launched the first iPhone in 2007. It removed the physical keyboard and even had an App Store from which you could download apps to extend its functionality.
How Smartphones Changed Apple
Apple was one of the companies most affected by the rise of smartphones. Before smartphones, Apple was mostly known for its desktops and laptops. It was a small player in the personal computing industry, offering hardware and software mostly used by creative professionals. That is one of the many reasons you would mostly see Apple computers in Hollywood productions where people were editing video or audio. Apple’s products used IBM Power processors and eventually Intel Core processors. Today, Apple is a $1 trillion company, ranking among the most valuable in the world. It has a money-printing machine in the form of the App Store, generating billions of dollars in profits every year. Apple also has a powerful lineup of desktops, laptops, and tablets all using an in-house design based on the ARM architecture. The one iPhone launched has turned Apple from an average tech company into one of the most valuable companies. Apple is now a mainstay in tech, being a place where the best workers try to apply.
Smartphones for Photography
Photography is also an area where smartphones have had a profound impact. Before smartphones, you had to get a separate device to take pictures while vacationing. Fewer pictures were being taken because the most advanced cameras were expensive. On top of that, DSLRs were quite bulky, making them difficult to carry around. You had to bring plenty of batteries because the average camera could only take a few hundred pictures before needing a battery change. They are also quite slow, making it much harder to capture spontaneous moments that would disappear after a few seconds. For example, you would easily miss seeing an animal dash across the street or a celebrity about to get in a car. Today, smartphones have revolutionized photography, completely replacing entry-level point-and-shoot cameras. In fact, most smartphones can even compete with some of the high-end point-and-shoot cameras available today. Computational photography has advanced, offering visual performance comparable to many professional cameras.
Smartphones for Daily Tasks
Smartphones have now become a mainstay in our daily lives. There is now an app for almost everything you need to do. Do you want to go shopping? You can order everything you want on your smartphone and have it delivered right to your door. Banking? Your bank has a smartphone app that even lets you deposit checks without going to a local branch. For most people, depositing and withdrawing cash are the only reasons to go to a physical bank nowadays. Almost everything can be done right at home because of the ubiquity of various apps. There are also many attachments you can add to your camera for extra functionality. For example, you can have infrared pictures with an attachment and a smartphone app. It is a lot easier to travel because of the real-time maps that even integrate public transportation information. When you reach your destination, you can translate phrases from other languages, allowing you to communicate with locals.
Downsides of Smartphones
While smartphones have had a great impact on our lives, there are still issues we must contend with. One of them is that smartphones have made it much harder to focus. Kids brought up on smartphones have a much more difficult time concentrating on daily tasks. That will make it much harder for them to function in the future, causing more illnesses in the population. Smartphones are also so ubiquitous that it is almost impossible to do basic things without a smartphone. Owning a smartphone has become a requirement instead of just an option.
Despite the downsides, smartphones are more important than ever, putting human knowledge into your hands. As network speeds get faster, smartphones will gain much more functionality, allowing them to do even more. For example, 5G is hailed as a network standard that will provide speeds good enough for phones to play video games with the graphic fidelity of consoles without needing to purchase any additional hardware. Smartphone cameras are also advancing to where we might not need professional DSLRs. These are only a few reasons why smartphones have changed our world for the better and will continue to do so for a while.
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