The Evolution of the Mobile Phone and its Affects on the Population

Student Number: s2603345
Tutor: Chris Mamouzelos
Tutorial Time: 11am- 1pm

The mobile phone has become a major factor on how people live their lives, either socially or work, and becoming the piece of technology that has evolved along with the changes of the economic world. The mobile phone has changed dramatically from its expensive, yet bulky, original design, to become a fashion item amongst the current generations, with its smaller size and affordability. Added features such as camera, “real tones”, internet, and satellite television being directly broadcast into the handset is just the tip of the iceberg as to what lengths this gadget can go. But, with its successes, there have been just as many problems, both technical and its affects of the health of the user. Despite this, the mobile phone has created a place for itself amongst the fashion-conscious current generation.

The concept for the mobile phone, also known as a cellular phone, came about in the year 1947 when scientists looked into the idea of increasing a car phone’s cellular capacity so it could have a wider frequency and range- sadly, the technology was not available at the time (Global Source Marketing Inc. 1997). In the year 1984, the mobile phone was first introduced into the public as a large and bulky, and expensive piece of equipment, which was also expensive to repair and upkeep, not to mention being ‘constrained by battery strength’ (Bulkeley 1988, p. 8). It was not until ten years later that the mobile had gained popularity amongst the world’s populations, due to changes in its design making it smaller and easier to use, causing prices to go down and more people were able to afford it (Global Source Marketing Inc. 1997). These changes for the mobile in its early years are an example of the sort of technological changes and advancements between the early 80s and early 90s, and with that ideology, the mobile phone gained more popularity with the idea that the mobile was an example of the ‘latest’ technological feats at the time. By the time the year 1999 came along, about 104 million people in the United States owned a mobile phone, with that number being a part of the 500 million people in the world owning this piece of technology (Bellis 2007).

The evolvement of technology over time has been demonstrated through the mobile phone by the introduction and implementation of the latest trends and accessories, further instating that the mobile was slowing becoming a major factor in the lives of the people within the populace. The mobile has changed from being the simple portable (yet heavy and bulky) phone, to the ultra-fashionable, highly entertaining piece of technology. Currently mobiles have changed to the point where talking is not even necessary when communicating with someone else, with the invention of the text message, also known as TXT, and the picture, or sound, or even a video message, otherwise known as a Multimedia Message, or MMS for short (Haggerty 2002). Built in cameras can snap pictures or record videos; internet access with the ability to download ring tones and pictures and access emails; pay television, also known as cable television, being broadcast directly to your handset; changeable covers and various other accessories such as chains and other items (Bowman 2007, p. 1; Research and Markets 2005; Telstra Corporation Ltd. 2007). Some significant changes for the mobile phone are parents having the ability to track their children’s phone usage through the internet, and even set up blocking systems where the child would not be able to use their phone until a certain time (Holson 2006, p.5). The mobile phone was not only an example of the technological evolvements, but had become an accessory all in its own right.

The mobile has become such a success and influence that it has become the necessary accessory for the young people of this generation, as a definition of their social lives and welfare. With the costs of high-tech mobile phones becoming cheaper, the idea of owning an expensive mobile model while on a ‘phone plan’ is becoming part of the norm. According to recent studies, certain groups can now be defined by what model mobile they own, which is turning society into believing the superficial views that image is everything, and it is the objects that someone owns that define on who they are as a person (Weekend Bulletin, 31 Mar. 2007, p. 177). A problem which is occurring is the lack of using the mobile for calls; instead, they are used for text messaging for the majority of the time (Barker 2006, p.1). According to studies conducted by Virgin Mobile, their ‘teen customers use their phones for texting more than talking’ (Handler in Barker 2006, p.1). Handler further declares:

“We are living in a 160- character nation” (Barker 2006, p.1).

This goes to show that the ‘art of conversation’ is being distorted into a text- only exchange between individuals, with vocal or face to face conversing is becoming a part of the past norm (Barker 2006, p. 1).

The evolvement of the mobile phone may have been an example of how the social population is changing, but it is also creating different ways of communicating, often pushing aside the vocal conversation, with the text message becoming more of the social norm. The mobile has grown considerably from its humble beginnings to become the fashion icon of the current generation, with added features that add to the mobile’s popularity. But with the success this piece of technology has developed into, there have been problems in association with the social interactions and communications between individuals, such as the ideology that the brand of mobile phone is a definition of a person’s personality and lifestyle, which can often be considered to be unreliable. The mobile phone has changed along with society, and will continue to do so as the social norms change over time.

Bibliography

Database Journal Resources:

Barker, Olivia 2006, ‘Technology leaves teens speechless; text-messaging is wiping out the art of conversion’, USA TODAY, 30 May, 1.

Bowman, Becky 2007, ‘The reasons for buying phone accessories differ from young to old’, Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, 1 Mar, 1.

Bulkeley, William M. 1988, ‘Portable phones changing business styles’, Telephone Engineer & Management, vol. 92, no. 5 (March), 8.

Holson, Laura M. 2006, ‘Disney phone service has parents in mind’, New York Times, 5 April, 5.

Weekend Bulletin, 31 Mar. 2007, ‘Mobiles now a self image statement’, p. 177.

Web Resources:

Bellis, Mary 2007, Selling the Mobile Phone: Part 1: History of Cellular Phones, http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa070899.htm

Global Source Marketing Inc. 1997, History of Cell Phones, http://www.global-source-mkt.com/cellphonefacts.html

Haggerty, Jenn 2002, Cell Phones Continue to Advance, Grow in Popularity, http://www.academic.marist.edu/mwwatch/Fall02/articles/Technology/tech4.html

Research and Markets 2005, Future Cell Phones: The Big Trends, 2005- 2010, http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c15189

Telstra Corporation Limited 2000, Telstra Next G Network: FoxtelTM by Mobile, http://www.telstra.com.au/nextgnetwork/experience/foxtel.htm