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Could we live without our iPhones?

B

Brounmoney

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 31, 2012
361
0
I saw a post today about what people did with their iPhones each day. A lot of people said they did not know what they would do without their iPhone. That got me thinking about living without one. Would it really change my life that much?

Ok so first this is what I do daily on my iPhone 5: look at the weather, look at gizmodo and Engadget (this happens about 10 times a day), read emails, send text messages, read and post on macrumors on the tapatalk app, and makes maybe 3 phones calls a day. So I could do all these things with a dumb phone and a computer, but the iPhone just makes things much easier. If it came down to it though I believe I could do without the iPhone.

It did get me thinking that our society has come to depend on smartphones. Our lives kind of center around our iPhones. It seems a bit sad when I think about it. I mean yea I love my iPhone, but I should be able to make it without it. What do you guys think? Is there something on your iPhone that no other device could be use to do?
 
Many now days use their smartphones in place of a computer that is easily transportable. For myself, I don't really need one, but do need a computer with a nice large monitor. Smartphone for me would be used for the GPS function if need be, perhaps reply to an e-mail or to look up sites while on the go, but I don't game ever, music never, text never, or movies never on a smartphone. That is why I have a nice computer for those, and it's better on the eye's.

I'm not a kid, and I honestly believe the younger boy/girls love to text instead of talking now days. Even saw a couple of kids texting one another while they were sitting on the same bench shoulder to shoulder. Go figure

;)
 
Of course we could live without our iPhones, but the question is, do we want to? As sad as it is to say, my iPhone is pretty much an extension of my hand. I it to make phone calls, text, Facebook, Twitter, check my calendar, check my grocery list, get driving directions, stream music, use it in the field when I'm out photographing with my DSLR, use it to analyze my sleep, etc. I definitely wouldn't want to be without my iPhone, that's for sure.
 
SR45 said:
Many now days use their smartphones in place of a computer that is easily transportable. For myself, I don't really need one, but do need a computer with a nice large monitor. Smartphone for me would be used for the GPS function if need be, perhaps reply to an e-mail or to look up sites while on the go, but I don't game ever, music never, text never, or movies never on a smartphone. That is why I have a nice computer for those, and it's better on the eye's.

I'm not a kid, and I honestly believe the younger boy/girls love to text instead of talking now days. Even saw a couple of kids texting one another while they were sitting on the same bench shoulder to shoulder. Go figure

;)
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The kids now that are in their teens are what really scare me. When I was in middle school and hight school have a cell phone at that age was unheard of. I can remember cell phones not even being around much less smart phones. Kids are losing social skills because they rely on smartphones too much. I am going to do the same thing my parents did with me with my kids. They will not get a cell phone until they can drive and they have to help pay the bill.
 
Forget iPhones, smartphones, and even dumphones, people lived (and even still do) without mobile phones at all not long ago at all. Heck, people lived and some still live without internet. Even TV falls into that category. Nothing really all that crazy here, just look into early 90s for example, which is still a fairly modern time period, and yet most didn't have cell phones (smart, dumb, or otherwise), and there really wasn't internet around either, yet we all lived no worse off really.
 
Brounmoney said:
The kids now that are in their teens are what really scare me. When I was in middle school and hight school have a cell phone at that age was unheard of. I can remember cell phones not even being around much less smart phones. Kids are losing social skills because they rely on smartphones too much. I am going to do the same thing my parents did with me with my kids. They will not get a cell phone until they can drive and they have to help pay the bill.
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Where's your proof? A report by Nielsen Wire has statistically shown that out of a group of 20,000+ mobile monthly subscribers only 58% of teenagers currently residing in the United States of America reported having a smartphone. That only means they HAVE a smartphone. Show me some actual usage patterns and studies done that would suggest that social skills are not developing in the newer generations? I bet you can't.
 
Spectrum Abuser said:
Where's your proof? A report by Nielsen Wire has statistically shown that out of a group of 20,000+ mobile monthly subscribers only 58% of teenagers currently residing in the United States of America reported having a smartphone. That only means they HAVE a smartphone. Show me some actual usage patterns and studies done that would suggest that social skills are not developing in the newer generations? I bet you can't.
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I not sure that I have any kind of number I was just saying instead of calling a friend or talking to them in person kids text or send a Facebook message. It kind of makes kids think if something is too hard to say in person they can just text so they don't have to say it in person. I have no numbers to back this up I just see it happening.
 
Brounmoney said:
I not sure that I have any kind of number I was just saying instead of calling a friend or talking to them in person kids text or send a Facebook message. It kind of makes kids think if something is too hard to say in person they can just text so they don't have to say it in person. I have no numbers to back this up I just see it happening.
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This news article dated back in 2010 from the Huffingtonpost begs to differ. A thirty nine year old employee was fired over a SMS from his employer. It's not just kids, pal. We're all drinking the same kool aid. And it's always been that way. The means of achieving this alternative communication compared to face to face has changed over the centuries, but it has always been here. Blaming the newer generations for a concept that has been around since humanity existed is ridiculous.
 
I lived the first 30 years of my life without a cell phone, so, yeah, I could live without my iPhone. But the point of technology is to make our lives easier and that's what a smartphone does.
 
The longest I have gone without a smartphone has been 3 weeks since the iphone 3G came out. It definitely took some adjusting but honestly I found I had more free time because people and "life" didn't interrupt me every 5 mins.

On the other hand I use my iphone for quick answers all the time. I use it to google business names, addresses, phone numbers, and store inventory on an almost daily basis usually several times a day. Could I get by without this? Absolutely, but it would slow my life down a lot.

I'm still not sure the trade off for easy, instant information is worth the ability to get away from it all in the evenings.
 
Spectrum Abuser said:
This news article dated back in 2010 from the Huffingtonpost begs to differ. A thirty nine year old employee was fired over a SMS from his employer. It's not just kids, pal. We're all drinking the same kool aid. And it's always been that way. The means of achieving this alternative communication compared to face to face has changed over the centuries, but it has always been here. Blaming the newer generations for a concept that has been around since humanity existed is ridiculous.
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I would agree with most of what you are saying, but us adults did grow up without cell phones at all. Kids that are growing up now depend on cell phones cause that's all they know. Sure technology has changed and communication has gone down ever time, but I am just saying looking back on the last 10-15 years things have really changed. I know I would rather send a text message than call or talk to someone in person. When I was in college if you wanted to talk to someone you either called them and had to talk to them in person. Now college students if they don't want to talk to someone will just send a text message. It gets worse over the years because more and more parents just want to pacify their kids and just hand them a smartphone. I see this happen all the time.
 
My wife would love it if I had no phone at all. Seems like I am never off now as I constantly have to have my phone on as I am on call 24/7 :confused:

Might actually live longer if I didn't have a phone
 
Spectrum Abuser said:
This news article dated back in 2010 from the Huffingtonpost begs to differ. A thirty nine year old employee was fired over a SMS from his employer. It's not just kids, pal. We're all drinking the same kool aid. And it's always been that way. The means of achieving this alternative communication compared to face to face has changed over the centuries, but it has always been here. Blaming the newer generations for a concept that has been around since humanity existed is ridiculous.
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exactly what I was thinking....communication has changed over time and we either choose to keep up with that change or not.
 
LostMyiPhone said:
Heres something from 2008 but still relevant:

http://wirelessandmobilenews.com/2008/09/cell-phones-impact-teen-life-s.html

Happy now?

EDIT: OR, you could go talk to a teenager or two and get some first-hand sources

----------



It's my experience that you don't even really have to say apple and/or anything negative about them, it will just happen. There are a few (won't name names) that I've noticed do it over and over and over... just have a negative connotation about every post.
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I'm bringing this discussion over here so we don't hijack the other thread.

According to another statistic shown earlier, only 58% of teens even have a smartphone, so, while it is a majority, it's far from the implication that all teens are losing social skills because of smartphones. And as also shown, it's not just teens either. This behavior is being demonstrated in all age groups.
 
Spectrum Abuser said:
This news article dated back in 2010 from the Huffingtonpost begs to differ. A thirty nine year old employee was fired over a SMS from his employer. It's not just kids, pal. We're all drinking the same kool aid. And it's always been that way. The means of achieving this alternative communication compared to face to face has changed over the centuries, but it has always been here. Blaming the newer generations for a concept that has been around since humanity existed is ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Oh here is a source that backs up my statements.
http://wirelessandmobilenews.com/2008/09/cell-phones-impact-teen-life-s.html
 
I could easy live without my iPhone or any smartphone. The only big thing I would miss, was a electronic calendar.

I loved the "old" days, where people went out together, and had fun. Now most people sits with there phones all the time your with them. I hate it like hell.

It's a tool and a gadget, stop living life thru it :)
 
vastoholic said:
I'm bringing this discussion over here so we don't hijack the other thread.

According to another statistic shown earlier, only 58% of teens even have a smartphone, so, while it is a majority, it's far from the implication that all teens are losing social skills because of smartphones. And as also shown, it's not just teens either. This behavior is being demonstrated in all age groups.
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I would bet it's 58% and rising.

And while I agree that it's likely all demographics impacted by it, I would guess the focus is on teens because ages zero till, oh, say, teens are when social skills are developing. zero thru early teens don't matter much cause those kids probably don't have smartphones but the early teens through older teens (don't you love the precision?) are more likely to have smartphones and thus be more imipacted.

One could further argue that smartphones actually AID in the development of social skills allowing those kids who would, without a smartphone, sit at home disconnected from their peers to be involved in the online social world without the pressures of a more standard, physical social setting.

...no sources :D
 
LostMyiPhone said:
I would bet it's 58% and rising.

And while I agree that it's likely all demographics impacted by it, I would guess the focus is on teens because ages zero till, oh, say, teens are when social skills are developing. zero thru early teens don't matter much cause those kids probably don't have smartphones but the early teens through older teens (don't you love the precision?) are more likely to have smartphones and thus be more imipacted.

One could further argue that smartphones actually AID in the development of social skills allowing those kids who would, without a smartphone, sit at home disconnected from their peers to be involved in the online social world without the pressures of a more standard, physical social setting.

...no sources :D
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Oh I agree with the statement personally. It's an odd phenomenon. I'm the quiet introverted type anyway, but I think technology and in a way, smartphones have helped me break out of that, but I do personally think it becomes a crutch for many people including myself. I try to make it a point to not be on my phone when I'm around others.
 
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