Introduction
Cell phones are the invention of this modern generation that has revolutionized the basic lifestyles of humans, including communication, education, services systems, and businesses completely. Today, the use of cell phone technology by the entire human race creates new possibilities and opportunities every day, not just for social interactions but in many other fields of life. Even the great inventors of this technology could not have predicted that one day these cell phones would become a necessity for humans in their daily routines. According to demographics, the number of cell phone users worldwide exceeded 5 billion in 2019, which makes more than 65% of the world population (Gaille, 2018). In the United States only, approximately 95% of the citizens own a cell phone of their own, and almost all of the adults between age 18 to 29 years own a cell phone (Gaille, 2018). There is no denying that cell phones have made lives easier for people of all ages, whether it is for communication, education, business, healthcare, and medicines, or even live virtual interactions, everything is so easily accessible and just a few clicks away.
Impact of Cell Phones on Education
Cell phones have made learning and studying particularly easy for young people of today’s modern generation in many ways. It will not be wrong to say that today cell phones are pocket-sized computers that have the capacity to provide many benefits that technology can afford in terms of accessing quality education. With cell phones, students can learn and study more comfortably as students can get answers to their questions within seconds (“5 Benefits of Using Cellphones in School: Smartphones as Learning Tools”, 2020). Searching for answers online is helpful in many scenarios, for instance, if the student is reluctant to speak in front of the entire class or even when the student is at home and cannot reach the teacher instantly (“5 Benefits of Using Cellphones in School: Smartphones as Learning Tools”, 2020). For better learning and revision purposes, students can clarify their concepts anytime and anywhere.
Moreover, cell phones make learning further easier with video and audio aids. Students with the help of cell phones can access their courses in the form of video and for better conceptual understanding with a visual aid (“5 Benefits of Using Cellphones in School: Smartphones as Learning Tools”, 2020). Using cellphones, students can record their lectures in classrooms and listen to them later as well for revisions and to make notes. Similarly, students can access a plethora of educational apps from their cell phones to take their learning up a notch (“5 Benefits of Using Cellphones in School: Smartphones as Learning Tools”, 2020). These apps can help with course learning, revision, and even provide a soft copy of class notes and past papers to students. Furthermore, cell phones can allow students the opportunity of social learning in the comfort of their homes by making study groups online on different social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Reddit, and LinkedIn. These educational groups can allow students to share new ideas, discoveries and to work on different projects. Cell phones can help students connect with students from around the globe that can prepare them for exchange programs and plans to study abroad.
With the help of cell phones, students can make study schedules using calendars and reminders on their cell phones to manage their time and stay organized (“10 Advantages to Allowing Kids to Have Cell Phones in Schools”, 2011). This way, students can be prepared for assessments and deadlines. Students don’t have to go through hundreds of books anymore to work on their research projects as cell phones have made web surfing relatively easy.
Impact of Cellphones on Health
As the use of cell phones is so widespread that almost every individual is seen with one all the time; therefore, health experts are particularly concerned in this regard. Even though many people perceive the use of cell phones as a mental health hazard, however, all aspects must be observed before concluding a point as there is also evidence to support the claim that cell phones can be good for an individual’s mental health. Experts have developed programs that run on cell phones to help people deal with depression and phobias (Rodriguez and Page, 2015). In addition to these programs, cost-free and easily accessible apps are available on cell phones that guided self-help based cognitive-behavioral principles to deal with mental health issues effectively. Games on cell phones also provide therapy for people with mental health issues. For instance, a role-playing game called SPARX with a fantasy theme has shown effective results in face-to-face therapy in clinical trials (Rodriguez and Page, 2015). Moreover, a researcher called David Haniff has developed a game that helps a person examine what triggers their depression (Rodriguez and Page, 2015).
Cell phones are also a means of communication for people with depression as they can attend a virtual therapy session with mental health experts through emails, text messages, video, and audio calls. Such experiences and possibilities can help people feel more empowered and work towards their emotional well-being (Rodriguez and Page, 2015). With the use of cell phones, people have new routes to treatments. As people with different health issues scan, keep track of their medical records and history to help their physicians better understand their condition. With the help of apps available on cell phones, diabetic people can record their blood glucose levels at different times of the day, people with obesity can track their calories to help them control their food intake, and a pregnant woman can keep track of their gestational age. During the current Covid-19 pandemic, people can track the number of causalities, cases, and recoveries both worldwide and nationwide using apps and websites on their cell phones. People that are positive with novel coronavirus can access help and precautionary measures and guideline through the same apps without having to go to hospitals. Therefore, it is obvious that among a few drawbacks that cell phones have on human health, there are many advantages of the technology for human physical and mental health that cannot be discredited.
Impact of Cellphones on Medicine
Among other fields of life, advancements in cell phone technology have had a major positive impact on the field of medicine as well. Being the fastest growing sector in the industry of technology, cell phones must grow and improve a field as important as medicine for the sake of entire human races. On the basis of on-going studies and researches, the role that cell phones play in medicine is through medical education, patient care, and communication. In 2012 according to a market research firm, an estimate of over 81% of the physicians in the United States used cell phones to help them in their field. This rapidly increasing use of cell phones shows that the impact of this technology on medicine has been the most profound (Ozdalga and Ahuja, 2012).
According to the studies conducted, the use of cell phones by doctors to monitor their patients is very common today. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, doctors use GPS tracking apps to know the location of their patients to avoid the risk of wandering (Ozdalga and Ahuja, 2012). Moreover, the use of cell phones in the rehabilitation of patients is also a common practice these days. Doctors are able to monitor their patients via Bluetooth connection to a single-lead electrocardiograph (ECG) using their cell phone for the rehabilitation process (Ozdalga and Ahuja, 2012). Similarly, different sensors can be connected with cell phones to help doctors better under the patient’s condition and thereby the level of their activity. The accelerometer in cell phones can be used to interpret the coordination and balance of patients after medical conditions such as heart attack or a stroke (Ozdalga and Ahuja, 2012). Another study showed that patients with sleep apnea could be helped by connecting a single-lead electrocardiograph (ECG) to a cell phone, which helps the doctor with diagnosis and treatment as well. Furthermore, an app called Diablo has been developed for patients with diabetes to help them collect data such as self-measured blood glucose, calorie count and therefore plans a schedule for physical exercise and insulin intake recommendations (Ozdalga and Ahuja, 2012).
With the use and countless advantages that cell phones have in the field of medicine, patient care, and medical education, it is highly recommended for both physicians and patients for a better and easier approach towards treatments.
Impact of Cellphones on Business
The business landscape has been revolutionized completely by the invention of cell phones as to look a few decades back when communication over long distances was not possible within seconds, and the unavailability of email services made making business deals a tough deal (Scott-Briggs, 2017). Whereas now, the entire business world is interconnected no matter where in the world they are based. Due to this modern and fast technology of cell phones, many start-ups and small businesses have flourished within days as cell phones allow them to reach potential customers by sponsorships.
The first and most important advantage that cell phones have in the business industry is the ease of communication. Cell phones provide business owners to establish a communication connection with both suppliers and customers that is secure, stable, reliable, and cost-efficient with all parties involved (Jones, 2018). Cell phones are the solution to overcome all the geographical barriers that industrialists face. Moreover, cell phones allow people to be a part of virtual conferences anytime and anywhere for data sharing, collaboration, and document management (Jones, 2018).
In addition to the benefit of communication, cell phones help business industries to boost their productivity and revenue by using a number of techniques and strategies (Scott-Briggs, 2017). As with the use of cell phones, businesses are relatively more low-maintenance and require less investment and give more profits, thus increasing business productivity (Jones, 2018). Furthermore, business marketing and promotions have become so easier with the invention of cell phones as business owners can approach potential audience as every single individual has cell phones these days. With cell phones, it is now possible to target a particular audience of a certain age, gender, and nationality.
Cell phones can help business managers to improve and optimize the security, management, and regulation of their finances by keeping track of all of their financial reports, income, expenses, and the complete overturn of their means of finance (Jones, 2018). This process is specifically of great significance in the business industry as it helps owners avoid the risk of fraud and loss of revenues. Cell phones are compact that can be carried around in pockets anywhere; therefore, it is easier to get instant feedback from customers to improve the services and products for the future. Customer services have also become easier as cell phones provide effective techniques to keep the clients informed of their orders and also help them track their orders through GPS technology at the comfort of their homes.
Impact of Cellphones on Entertainment
Cell phones are no longer just a means of communication but a whole package of entertainment that one can enjoy anywhere at any hour of the day. According to the estimations made by experts, people who use cell phones spend 80% of their screen time on entertainment (Frenzel, 2006). People look for entertainment in their cell phones for psychological relaxation, distraction, diversion, change, and excitement stimulation, and for these reasons, the amount of time people spend on entertainment in their cell phones is increasing drastically with every passing day (Rotsztejn, 2008). Now with cell phones, it is possible to access millions of songs, movies, tv shows, and documentaries with just a swipe.
Cell phones these days come with a high megapixel camera that allows users to take quality pictures and share them on social media instantly (Frenzel, 2006). Moreover, cell phones are now compatible with games with high resolution and high definition graphics, which means that the users do not have to purchase expensive equipment and carry them around every time they want to play an entertaining game. With increasing advancements in technology and app developers, more and more variety of games are available for the users that either cost very less or are cost-free. For people who love reading books, cell phones have made this activity very easy as you can now have access to any book through E-books, whether it is related to literature, technology, science, fiction, and non-fiction. People reading is now possible on the go, and readers do not have to search libraries to pick their favorite as E-books can be searched and saved easily through apps on cell phones. With the increasing use of cell phones, Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Videos now offer cell phone apps so that users do not need to purchase or rent expensive CDs or DVDs to watch their favorite movies and Tv shows.
Impact of Cellphones on Social Interaction
By now, it has been stated several times in a quite straightforward way that cell phones have the ability to perform most of the necessary operation for individuals at any hour of the day or any place. Therefore, people of all ages, specifically adolescents, prefer to rely on cell phones for their social activities and interactions. This change has become so prominent today that it has changed the social lives of people entirely. According to a detailed analysis of a study, 75% of the people who were surveyed spend at least 3-5 hours a day on social media with Instagram and Facebook being the most widely used platforms (Gladden, 2016). Today, young adults use text messages as their primary method of communication and prefer to interact daily with their friends overseeing them face-to-face after days (Hyman, 2014). This is because people find it particularly easy to text their friends as compared to plan a day out with them. In addition to text messages, cell phone users can contact their friends and family members through voice and video calls that help them overcome the barriers of distance between them.
Users of cell phones can now talk to people by making groups on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. This practice makes it easier to share new ideas and thoughts with friends, work, and study groups.
Conclusion
With all the facts, demographics, and statistics about the huge impact that cell phones have on human lives since their invention stated in this article, it can therefore be concluded that it is now unimaginable to live a life without cell phones. As Vera Nazarian has said in her book called The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration, “It’s easier for a rich man to ride that camel through the eye of a needle directly into the Kingdom of Heaven, than for some of us to give up our cell phone.” Cell phones have made a daily routine for people in all fields of life pretty fast whether it be for students, business owners, homemakers, or a doctor everyone wants things to happen in a blink of an eye. To highlights this point, it is important to quote Allan Lokos as he said in his book called Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living, “Technology offers us a unique opportunity, though rarely welcome, to practice patience.”
References
- Gallie, L. (2018). 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Cell Phones. Vittana. https://vittana.org/19-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-cell-phones
- “5 Benefits of Using Cellphones in School: Smartphones as Learning Tools”. (2020). Resilient Educator. https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/should-students-use-their-smartphones-as-learning-tools/
- “10 Advantages to Allowing Kids to Have Cell Phones in Schools”. (2011). Parenting Skills Blog. https://www.parentingskillsblog.com/parenting_skills_blog_fro/2011/07/10-advantages-to-allowing-kids-to-have-cell-phones-in-schools.html
- Rodriguez, J., and Page, N. (2015). Your smartphone could be good for your mental health. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/your-smartphone-could-be-good-for-your-mental-health-41804
- Ozdalga, E., and Ozdalga, A., and Ahuja, N. (2012). The Smartphone in Medicine: A Review of Current and Potential Use Among Physicians and Students. NCBI PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3510747/
- Scott-Briggs, A. (2017). The Positive Impact of Mobile Phones on Your Business Performance. Tech Bullion. https://techbullion.com/positive-impact-mobile-phones-business-performance/
- Jones, S. (2018). The impact of mobile phones on business operations. Tech Fruit. https://techfruit.com/focus/the-impact-of-mobile-phones-on-business-operations/
- Frenzel, L. (2006). The Cell Phone—Now That’s Entertainment. Electronic Design. https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/communications/article/21756704/the-cell-phonenow-thats-entertainment
- Rotsztejn, M. (2008). Mobile entertainment applications and their impact on leisure patterns amongst UK young adults. Erasmus University Rotterdam. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d72b/c557034c41465f02781ad36b25cbbf869703.pdf
- Gladden, D. (2016). THE EFFECTS OF SMARTPHONES ON SOCIAL LIVES: HOW THEY AFFECT OUR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND ATTITUDES. Old Dominion University. https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1590&context=ots_masters_projects
- Hyman, I. (2014). Cell Phones Are Changing Social Interaction. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-mishaps/201401/cell-phones-are-changing-social-interaction