The world runs on smartphones. They have become an essential part of everyone’s lives for a multitude of reasons. The added bonus of internet, apps and texting make them convenient.
The gadgets have surpassed any other feature phone with a 55 percent popularity in phone sales in the third quarter of 2013, according to a study done by Gartner. “Sales of feature phones continued to decline [in 2013],” said Gartner’s principal research analyst, Anshul Gupta.
“[The smartphone] has had a major social, political and cultural impact [and] has changed the way people reach their friends, obtain data and media, and share their lives,” said the research team from the Pew Research Center.
Contrary to popular belief, a smartphone is not the blessing that people think it is.
Time-wasting addiction
Productivity is probably one of the first reasons that comes to mind when considering purchasing a smartphone. Apps that allow you to read important emails on-the-go or figure out math equations with a picture are only some of the things a smartphone can do that a regular cell phone cannot.
While many of these features are productive, non-productive apps, such as Facebook and Instagram, contribute to a big waste of time.
According to Nielsen Total Audience’s 2016 media and entertainment total audience report, Americans spend on average a total of 10 hours a day staring at their smartphone screens; more than 50 out of 168 hours a week are devoted to them.
“If people are spending over 50 hours a week with media for entertainment purposes, then there’s really no time left for any of the other things we value,” said Professor Douglas Gentile, who teaches psychology at Iowa State University, to CNN.
Over-priced data plans
While the cheapest smartphone is better than nothing, the data plans for any smartphone are expensive. The data-and-calls plan for AT&T charges a $59.99 monthly fee which is paid over two years. In total, an AT&T customer will pay $1,439.76 for a two year plan, according to NBC News. With $199 for the smartphone itself and another $36 to activate it, the total cost for the smartphone comes just under $1,675.
“Data becomes such a huge part of the package that a lot of people might prefer to just pay for a voice plan and say, ‘I do not want any part of that data access because it is getting too expensive,’” said CNET News senior editor Scott Stein.
Stein recommended consumers to stick with basic cell phones and tablet with a cellular package in order to keep their budgets intact.
E-waste
Every year a new and improved smartphone is marketed. Each generation comes with a new upgrade and innovation that is fun but sometimes unnecessary. It also turns last year’s phones into trash.
According to the Electronics Takeback Coalition, over 310 million electronic devices, including smartphones, have been trashed in 2010. Certain materials within phones, such as lead and mercury, can lead to serious health issues, such as irreversible neurological brain damage, in children. This can be a serious problem if improperly disposed cell phones were to leak chemicals into drinking water.
The chemicals inside the phones are also hazardous to the environment. They have raised ecological concerns over air pollution, soil pollution and water pollution due to the many toxins within these electronics that were not disposed properly.
“One cell phone in the trash isn’t a big deal,” said Steve Manning, who serves as CEO of ReCellular, to CNET. “100 million in the trash is an environmental disaster.”
Having a smartphone can be wonderful but unnecessary. If you cannot bear to live without one, beware of wasting time on social media with them and consider searching for a cheaper plan. Planning of getting rid of yours? Recycle them; it’s better for the environment. Smartphones may be smart, but they are far from perfect.
(This article has been posted on Ka Leo.)
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