Apple: The Evolution of Communication

James Pippins, Sureda Sanouvong, William Gray, Courtney Rouse, and Sharan Miles

Over the past decade, technology has

advanced, from computers to the cellphone

and now even a combination of both, a

computer and cellphone. This progression

has resulted in the introduction of the

smartphone. The Apple IPhone, a type of

smart phone, was introduced in 2007.

According to The New York Times over

270,000 IPhone were sold within the first 2 days when they were released (Reauters). The

IPhone has drastically altered the way the world communicates by making mobile computing

possible, enhancing text message capabilities, and popularizing video communications. Forbes

announced that Apple was the top selling phone in February 2014 (Jones). With this popularity it

is no surprise that the IPhone has drastically changed the way the world communicates.

Mobile computing is a fairly new term that emerged in the 1990s. The term is used to

describe devices with enough processing power to send emails, watch videos, and ultimately

function like a computer on the go. Apple’s iPhone release in 2007 made important contributions

to the movement of mobile computing. “Apple's first iPhone, with its intuitive interface and

powerful computing ability, changed the way we think about smartphones. The handset's

seamless integration with iTunes also made it an ideal device for listening to music or watching

videos on the go. Before the iPhone, smartphones were typically difficult to navigate, had small

displays combined with larger physical keyboards and were often frustrating to use (Finnegan).”

As mentioned, Apple’s first iPhone offered The App Store, which allowed users to shop for a

variety of applications that enabled video streaming, communication platforms, and productivity

applications (Finnegan). Some of the communication apps include

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. These apps, which are all

social media platforms, offer constant communication with friends,

family, and even strangers. The ability to snap a picture on the go and

post it instantly to your Facebook account became possible. With the

invention of the iPhone the world was able to be in constant contact with the outside world

through the device in their hands.

While text messaging was around before the iPhone it was

not as popular as it is today. Many earlier cell phones did not

support text messaging, and the ones that did required the user to

send messages through “multi-tap.” In multi-tap each number on

the phone’s keypad was connected to three or four letters. For

example, the "3" key displays "D," "E" and "F." While multi-tap

was easy to understand, it was not very efficient. Eventually full

keyboards became commonplace on cellphones, and more notably

smartphones. In 2007 Apple introduced the iPhone and with it

came virtual keyboards with automatic spellcheck, and predictive text technology (Erikson, A

Brief History of Text Messaging).

Coincidentally, the year of 2007 was also the first year that Americans sent and received more

text messages per month than telephone calls. Since then text messaging has become an

increasingly common method of communication by teenagers and adults alike. It is easy to see

that while text messaging has been around before the iPhone, the iPhone played a very large

factor in changing how we communicate through text messaging today.  

Apple’s introduction of FaceTime made video communication

possible at home and on the go. Video communication has

revolutionized how the world communicates by making face-to-face

communication possible from anywhere. Before video chat, the hearing impaired had little use

for cell phones, with the exception of text messaging. After the invention of mobile video

chatting, individuals with hearing impairments were given a new speech platform. Hilmar

Schmundt discussed the power of video communication in an article titled “How Video Calls

Are Changing Our Daily Life”. This article follows Danny Canal, a German shipbuilding

student, who is also deaf. Schmundt states “with the introduction of Apple's iPhone 4, a new era

began for Canal. The new phone has a camera on the front side, above the screen, a set-up which

allows him to make video calls even when his is away from his computer” (Schmundt). Imagine

being unable to communicate in your native tongue, which in Canal’s case is sign language.

After the introduction of video calling, Canal was able to call his family and friends and speak

freely.

Video calling or FaceTime has influenced communication techniques on a personal and

business level. Employers have the ability to interview candidates from all over the world. This

freedom opens the candidate pool and decreases

travel cost. Businesses have also used FaceTime

technology for conference calls and group

meetings. According to Peter Moon, with the

Australian Financial Review, “an iPad set up a

few feet down the table, with a $50 powered

speaker to amp up the audio, is a good portable

conferencing solution. And for small office use,

the iPad or an iPhone alone, perhaps using

Apple’s standard-issue earphones with built-in

mic, is all you need to video-conference with another iPad, iPhone or Mac desktop user”(Moon).

The ability to video conference in a business setting has strengthened the argument for

telecommuting and been a great aid in office communication. Additionally, the release of

Apple’s FaceTime has brought families closer together. Many parents are required to travel for

business, but FaceTime has allowed mothers to help their children with their homework or give

them a kiss each night. Grandparents are able to watch their grandchildren crawl for the first time

or play a game with them. Video communication has brought society closed together. The ability

to communicate face to face with individuals anywhere in the world has altered communication

techniques for the future.

is an essential function of the human race. All aspects

of our lives require communication from resolving family conflict to ordering food at a

restaurant. Apple has transformed the way the world communicates with its introduction of the

iPhone. The new technology allowed individuals to be constantly connected with society. Text

messaging and email communications has allowed written communication to be instantly traded,

video chatting has allowed individuals from all over the world to have face to face conversations,

and mobile computing has allowed social media and other applications to become a common

communication medium. The IPhone has provided

society with an all in one platform that allows

these communication techniques possible. Apple’s

advances in technology have made communicating

with society easier and a 24-hour a day industry.

Communication

WORKS CITED

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Jones, Chuck. " Apple's iPhone 5s Still The Top Selling Smartphone Worldwide." Forbes.03 Apr

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