21st century:
The advent of globalisation coupled with advances in technology has brought about communications and convenience to greater heights. The society has a significantly greater access to the information they require on-the-go and also enjoy greater interconnectivity. Smartphones and tablets, in particular, are the key devices invented which allows for the heightened communications and convenience as almost everyone seen walking on the streets nowadays possess at least one of them.
So, what are smartphones and tablets?
Smartphones
A smartphone is a mobile phone which operates on specific operating systems built on a mobile computing platform, with more functionalities and applications as compared to a standard feature phone.
In today's context:
- Mobile technology has reached higher standards with 3G/4G replacing the traditional 1G and 2.5G
- Smartphones play an important role in many people’s lives
- Users can do almost everything on the phone, ranging from surfing the net to checking in on Facebook and instant messaging or 'Whatsapping'
- Different designs, features and operating systems dominate the mobile phone market, catering to the specific needs and preferences of the consumer market.
- Some of the operating systems available include: iOS, BB OS, Android OS and the Windows OS
Tablets
A tablet PC is a personal portable computer with a touch-screen interface, mainly targeted for usage by an individual. It refers to both the piece of hardware and the operating system Microsoft has developed to run this type of device.
In today's context:
- Not as widely accepted as smartphones but are gradually gaining popularity as the market now becomes more established and diversified
- Larger screen on the tablet as compared to those of smartphones’ caters to another audience group that would make use of it for performing the simpler tasks of a computer, such as listening to music, reading eBooks or watching movies on-the-go.
- Very user-friendly, specifically designed to be lightweight and flat, such as the Samsung GALAXY Tab and the Apple iPad2 just to name a few
With these two key devices playing an important role in our lives, both economic and social impacts on the macro scale are observed.
Economic Impact:
- More businesses are being set up as entrepreneurs perceive it to be a lucrative industry
- Schools and service sectors are also spending more financial resources on the purchase of these devices
Social Impact:
- World is said to be more interconnected than ever with the convenience that smartphones and tablets has brought about
- Internet addiction disorders have also shown an increasing trend over the years
As the development of smartphones and tablets are relatively novel, there is definitely a possibility for greater advancement into the future through new discoveries and innovations.