Cell phones are among the defining technologies in the contemporary setting. Cell phones are vital and effective communicative tools that people of all ages use. People feel incomplete today without cell phones. Cells phones have led to the accessibility to numerous information resources within the palm and have helped in bridging the communication gap through social networking sites. The impact of cell phones in society in four life domains, including business, health, education, and social life is largely positive. In essence, cell phones have revolutionized every aspect of human life. It is imperative to note that while the negative consequences of using cell phones have been documented, it is factual that the use of cell phones portends more benefits in comparison benefits to society. The paper argues that cell phones have positively influenced society by creating new business dimensions, providing unique ways to enhance education quality, contributing to health enhancement, and strengthening social life.
Impact of Cell Phones on Society
Impact on Business
The use of cell phones is responsible for the creation of new businesses and new business opportunities, thereby fuelling employment and economic growth. The use of the devices is an essential feat in the fight against unemployment and poverty on a global scale. Cell phones have significantly increased individuals' abilities to collaborate and communicate (Qureshi, 2013). Cell phones give people the ability to communicate with each other from any location in the world, which contributes to cost-effective business practices. For instance, due to the ease of communication as instigated by the use of cell phones, people can transact without necessarily having to travel to various parts of the world. The use of cell phones bridges the geographical distance of transacting business meaning that it not only saves cots but creates ease of doing business across the globe. The connectivity created by the use of cell phones, coupled with the speed and ease of communication and subsequently conducting business, create multiple business opportunities. It means that firms can save transportation costs by using conferencing programs that are compatible with cell phones (Qureshi, 2013). Using the mentioned programs, users can share both data and voice from worksites or other places, which decreases delays and the need for company leaders to travel physically to different places across the world. The ease and the effects on cost are apparent.
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Closely related to the above point is the fact that cell phones have created the app economy (Qureshi, 2013). The emergence of cell phones has also influenced the development of different mobile applications, which has created jobs for many developers. The emergence of the app economy has been an economic boom. The developers of various mobile apps have gained financially from them by allowing other people to connect using the apps. For instance, an app called Whatsapp has enabled people from various locations to send and receive images, messages, and even advertise their business online. Furthermore, especially in the developing countries, loan apps help people to access small loans at the comfort of their sits at reasonable interest rates. The app economy has also facilitated the emergence of applications that use excess capacity by creating new business opportunities for underutilized assets or capitals (Pollio, 2019). For instance, Uber has disrupted the taxi industry across the world by enabling any person with a car to use it and earn a living by transporting people. The application uses a smartphone app to effectively manage drivers and riders, which decreases the expenses related to getting a taxi. Vehicle owners can use their idle assets to earn a living. The app economy has also reduced barriers to entry for the new application industry. Rather than needing substantial production ability or labor force, entrepreneurs with ideas can learn how to code or hire developers and use platforms by Microsoft, Google, or Apple to distribute their applications to a global market.
Impact on Education
Reforms in education owing to advancements in technology are critical. The use of cell phones provides unique ways to enhance education quality. The personal nature of cell phones ensures proper customization of education materials and instructions, thereby enhancing the levels of understanding individual learners. Cell phones allow for the provision of personalized educational content for each student (Levene & Seabury, 2015). The students only have to own a cell phone to access the highly personalized instruction manuals that the instructors place in designated websites or apps. Most teachers currently deal with a diverse student population in a single classroom. The increased ownership of cell phones means that teachers can customize content for individual students by allowing access to anywhere, anytime, and always. The use of cell phones ensures learning with additional benefits such as increased functionality, enhanced graphics, and screens that allow students to interact with their educational materials in compelling ways. In essence, cell phones benefit students through specialized applications that help students to interruptions to and focus on the relevant learning materials. Cell phones serve as information filters to learners and tutors by helping them to digest the large bits of available information. The objective is to feed the students the relevant materials using the most efficient means, which is cell phones, that maximum potential benefits.
The use of cell phones in learning also gives teachers the ability to embed evaluations within learning tools (Levene & Seabury, 2015). Certain education apps and programs have sophisticated and detailed evaluation metrics. The evaluation metrics permit teachers to determine how well students understand the content of a particular topic or subject in general. Tutors and educationists can embed detailed metrics regarding the way learners approach subjects and topics, the knowledge acquisition process, and how fast they understand vital skills and ideas. It is achievable through pop-up questions that assess knowledge and comprehension. Besides, tutors can create dashboards to track individual student achievement and classroom events. Learning applications can also be set to group students into different categories based on whether or not they have achieved the set targets to advance learning. The existence of evaluation protocols and procedures in certain apps and programs makes learning and teaching easier and ensure the dissemination and the subsequent reception of relatively accurate information.
Impact on Healthcare
The use of cell phones contributes to health enhancement Cell phones increase communication and collaboration between patients and health care providers (Ventola, 2014). In essence, patients and providers have the opportunity to communicate with each other regardless of the distance between them or their respective geographical locations. Cell phones enhance the accuracy and efficiency of communication in which nurses and physicians communicate patient information through short messaging services. Cell phones also improve communication between patients and providers where providers can send short message service (SMS) alerts regarding things such as outstanding bills or scheduling to patients, which is faster and more efficient compared to paper mails. Additionally, cell phones allow providers and patients to coordinate through increased access, enhanced communication, and patient portals that enable targeted patient care and plans. For instance, physicians can use videos to educate patients effectively and efficiently regarding their conditions, which may increase medication compliance.
The use of cell phones increases the user-friendliness and accessibility of modern health IT innovations (Ventola, 2014). In some instances, there are apps or online websites that patients can access and get help regarding their conditions. The effectiveness and reliability of technologies such as clinical decision support networks and electronic health records (HERs) are currently on the rise, and the health care systems are taking advantage of them for improved decisions making and safekeeping of patients' records. When these innovations are paired with cell phone applications, they become easily accessible to the masses since a majority of the global population has cell phones. It is worth noting that cell phone data is usually condensed, mobile, and shareable, which leads to increased flexibility among health care practitioners. Besides, cell phones are inexpensive, and both providers and patients can adopt cell phone-based health IT solutions, meaning that they are accessible to a more significant fraction of the global population. Among patients, the cost-effectiveness of cell phones has allowed them to access different health applications that are useful for diverse functionalities. They can track their conditions, be reminded of appointments and time for medications, refill their drugs, or access resources for healthy lives, which consistent with standard medical standard and practice. The goal is to ensure that the patients adhere to their prescriptions and follow the instruction given by care providers. It is evident that cell phones have revolutionized provision of health care services.
Conclusion and Future Research
As demonstrated, cell phones have significant positive effects on society. The world is currently a better place due to the extensive acceptance and the subsequent use of cell phones. Cell phones are applicable in every sector of life, including education, health care, and the enhancement of social life. Cell phones have remarkably changed the world. Their development has positively influenced important life domains by enhancing the quality of communication and connectivity between people regardless of geographical locations. Cell phones have benefited these domains through enhanced communication and collaboration, the development of specialized applications for different uses, and the creation of jobs through application development. Learners can access better and accurate instructional materials, patients can get information and be monitored through various apps, and people can connect through different social platforms. In essence, the positive effects of cell phones are far-reaching, as they currently define the composition and existence of life.
Future researchers need to examine the shortcomings of cell phones in society and find ways of enhancing the positive effects while highlighting the adverse effects so that stakeholders can capitalize on this exciting innovation. By determining the negative effects of using cell phones in various fields, the stakeholders will easily carry-out a cost-benefit analysis, which is essential in investing in or declining to use cell phones. If the analysis proves positive, then it would be viable to invest in a given venture that requires the application of cell phones.
References
Levene, J., & Seabury, H. (2015). Evaluation of Mobile Learning: Current Research and Implications for Instructional Designers. TechTrends , 59 (6), 46–52.
Pollio, A. (2019). Forefronts of the Sharing Economy: Uber in Cape Town. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research , 43 (4), 760–775.
Qureshi, S. (2013). What is the role of mobile phones in bringing about growth? Information Technology for Development , 19 (1), 1–4.
Ventola, C. L. (2014). Mobile devices and apps for health care professionals: uses and benefits. Pharmacy and Therapeutics , 39 (5), 356.
