There are 7.8 billion people in the world. According to Pewresearch.org, 5 billion of those people have mobile phones. Which is understandable considering mobile phones are mostly the digital swiss-army knife of the present. With an abundance of tools to hand, in one small, portable, handheld device, mobile phones have become a necessity for the majority.
This article shall explore the significance of mobile and elements that have revolutionised its use. Alongside the proof, they’re taking over; other devices, the entertainment industry, and arguably, people’s lives.
Mobile Continues To Change Internet Use
By 2025, research suggests 72.6% of online users, equivalent to 3.7 billion people, will solely use their mobile to access the internet. People will predominantly access their social media feeds, play casino games, and watch movies from their phone. Which isn’t unsurprising, considering a mobile can do most of what a computer can do, but in a much more convenient form.
And with mobile technology becoming more advanced, the percentage of mobile users will continue to increase. The World Advertising Research Center (WARC) sourced data from mobile trade body GSMA and found 1.3 billion people will rely on PCs and their mobile for their internet searches. Leaving just 69 million, who will depend on a desktop computer.
Google Understands The Significance Of Mobile Devices
With Google’s primary interest being to provide the best search engine experience online. And evidence that mobile devices are a prominent part of most of the world’s daily lives, in 2015, Google instructed website and app owners to make their sites mobile-friendly. Otherwise, they could risk tumbling down the SERPs (search engine results pages).
To maintain a high SERPs position, it was essential for online businesses to prepare their site for mobile optimisation. With 2.4 billion people around the world gaming via mobile, the gaming industry were quick to realise the importance of the changes, and with the iGaming division getting increasingly competitive, there were many in danger of being left behind by the changes. Now, any sites offering online slots games for instance will be accessible via mobile in order to keep up with the Google update and the demands of their players.
Mobile: Official Medium For Movies and Games
In 2018, Emarketer revealed adults in the US spent, on average, 3.5 hours a day on their mobile. And the attraction for users isn’t just for internet browsing, it’s also becoming the go-to platform for TV and movies.
The National Research Group (NRG) explained their findings from a recent study which assessed the evolution of video on handheld devices. Their research revealed mobile video accounts are growing much faster than any other media. Which is likely due to phones being adequate for use in all scenarios. Whether unwinding and watching a film in bed or catching up on a series on the train. Mobiles allow users to pass the time by indulging in their favourite films and programmes wherever they may be.
Moreover, mobiles are undeniably taking over their PC counterparts in terms of games.
The virtual world of gaming is accessible at all hours. And more people are making use if its convenience for fun and relaxation. Mobile gaming is more prevalent than social media use.
According to Komando Tech, the mobile gaming industry, in particular, has become a profitable sector, amounting to half of all global gaming revenue, which is double the revenue of consoles and PCs.
Kommando Tech went on to state ‘the future of gaming is mobile’. From online slot games to Mario kart, developers and gaming companies are always increasing the range and quality of games available online.
People Have An Emotional Attachment To Their Mobiles
According to Jaco Hamman, an associate professor of religion, psychology and culture at Vanderbilt University, people are attached to their phones because they ‘tap into our basic yearnings as humans’, and are often valued as the extended self.
To explain, Jaco refers to babies, who become upset when they lose their pacifier or favourite cuddly toy. Smartphones are for adults, and young people likened to a pacifier. If a person drops or loses their phone, they immediately feel anxious and upset.
Jaco went on to state devices are ‘a space where the self can be satisfied, play and feel alive’.
The Impact Of Mobile Phones: Nomophobia Explained
Most of us were not prepared for the impact, and hold mobiles would gradually have on everyone’s lives. So much so that some people experience Nomophobia, (an intense fear of not being able to use one’s phone) to the point that it affects their daily life.
The US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health (NCBI) published a study which revealed 53% of mobile phone owners in Britain felt uneasy and stressed when their phone had no service. The battery was dead, or they didn’t have their phone with them.
Furthermore, to put humans dependence on mobiles into perspective, a lot of people are willing to jeopardise their safety, to take a peek at their phone. For example, a survey by Think! showed 1 in 6 people use their mobile phone while driving. And, 4.5 million people use their phone while crossing the road.
Handheld Devices Are Taking Over
The evidence above leads to one answer; mobile devices are taking over. From risking our lives to check our phones to becoming the ultimate platform for gamers and movie watchers. Mobiles provide stimulation, comfort, entertainment, and so much more.
Every generation has a reason to have a smartphone. Parents often want their kids to have phones so that they have a device handy if they’re in trouble and need help. Entrepreneurs and professionals need their phones to keep on top of their emails and calls on the go. Professionals, gain respite with a quick slot machine game, and by watching the latest season of Stranger Things or browsing through funny videos on Tik Tok on their lunch. The fact is, there is bound to be a smartphone feature that benefits everyone.
Once an individual has experienced a life with a smartphone, it’s challenging to think about how they could’ve functioned without it. In a fast-moving society, mobiles provide everything people want on-demand at their fingertips, which is why mobiles are and will continue to be the device that’s taking over the gaming and movie industry.
Arguably, the only piece of technology currently known to possibly exceed the success of the mobile is Elon Musk’s proposition of inserting microchips into the brain that link to smartphones. Supposedly the invention will provide people with the ability to stream music to their brains, empower telepathic abilities, and regulate hormones to enable relief from anxiety. Although, we’re a long way from the brain chip being available on the high street. It’s likely people will still choose mobile devices – because, for one, they’re less invasive.