Guided Argumentative Research. Smartphones in the Modern World

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Smartphones in the Modern World
The current age can correctly be termed as the smartphone age. Smartphones have completely revolutionized the society. They have become an integral part of people’s lives, a part that most members of the society cannot do without. The dependence of the modern population on smartphones has gone so deep that it is at times seen as a form of colonization. Smartphones have been accused of turning people into zombies who cannot fully function without the help of their smartphones. However, despite the criticism from different quarters, the use of smartphones around the world keeps soaring. More and more apps that affect human life in different ways are being developed. Moreover, the smartphones are getting lighter, cheaper and more user-friendly. Therefore, it is inevitable that the gadgets are going to end up in more hands in the future. It is also inevitable that smartphones are going to control more and more aspects of people’s lives going into the future. As the wave gets stronger, it is important for the society to ask some important questions regarding smartphones. For instance, should smartphones be allowed to control the people’s lives? Smartphones play a crucial part of our everyday life, presenting both benefits and some drawbacks.
Growth of Smartphones
A smartphone can be referred to any class of multi-purpose mobile devices that differs from feature phones due to their superior hardware capabilities as well as extensive operating systems that facilitate broader multimedia functionality, software, and a multitude of other functions. The devices hit the market in the 1990s. However, the devices became mainstream in 2007 following the introduction of the iPhone by Apple. iPhone offered customer-friendly features, including a virtual keyboard and a touch screen interface that completely revolutionized the smartphone industry. In late 2008, smartphones running on Android were introduced into the market. Ever since, the industry has steadily developed and grown in market size, models, and suppliers. Up to 2011, Nokia was the world’s leading vendor of smartphones. However, the dynamics have since changed. Today, Samsung is the leading vendor closely followed by Apple. Other vendors include Huawei, Xiaomi, Lenovo, among others. Android has also become the leading operating system. Smartphone shipments around the world are estimated to hit 1.7 billion units by 2020. Moreover, it is estimated that 40% of the world’s population will be in possession of a smartphone by the year 2021 (statista). Smartphones have changed the world in ways that other technological milestones such as the television and the telephone did not. Today, more than one billion people use smartphones globally. Smartphones give them access to more than 2 million apps. It is estimated that four out of every five phones bought in the United States are smartphones. Studies show that more than 60% of internet traffic comes from smartphones and not desktops anymore. More than one billion search queries are made on Google daily from offices and homes. It is estimated that individuals check their smartphones every 6.5 minutes. That is the stor...