Back in 2006, Stephen King’s apocalyptic novel Cell envisaged a “pulse” that was transmitted through every mobile phone in the world, turning everyone who heard it into a mindless, homicidal maniac. It was an ill-disguised cautionary tale that railed against our growing obsession with mobile technology.
12 years later, and the reliance we have on our smartphones has only increased. Are you free next Thursday? What’s tonight’s weather forecast? Who’s winning in the tennis? To answer these and a million other everyday questions, where do we turn but to our phones?
Silver swipers on the up
Last year, a study by Deloitte showed just how high smartphone adoption has become. It surveyed more than 4,000 16 to 75 year olds, and found that 85 percent of respondents own and use a smartphone. Perhaps the biggest surprise concerns what are being called silver swipers – more than 70 percent of those in the 55 to 75 age bracket have smartphones, and it is this sector that is growing at the fastest rate of all.
Not just for calls
Another significant change has been in the way phones are used. King’s 2006 tale already looks outdated, in that people everywhere are seen talking on their phones. Today, they are more likely to be online, either communicating by messaging apps like WhatsApp or Snapchat, or perhaps doing something quite different, and not using the phone for communication per se at all.
Appealing to the online gamers and gamblers
Gaming is a perfect example. 12 years ago, phones had simple in-built games like Snake and Tetris, but today, gaming apps are one of the biggest growth areas – and they are not just for kids. The online casino phenomenon has tracked in growth with the increase in silver swipers. Sites like Fruity King provide a huge range of slot games, inviting members to play now and offering tempting bonuses and free spins. It is worth remembering that in the world of physical casinos, this is a sector that is predominantly favoured by the over 50s.
Why the increase?
The greater ubiquity of smartphones is, in part, a normal pattern that can be seen with any technology. Televisions, PCs, microwave ovens – all went from specialist gadgets favoured by early adopters to household essentials over the course of a few years. The speed with which even older generations have become so heavily reliant on their smartphones is unusual, however.
In part, it comes down to the fact that what we see as “new technology” soon becomes well established. The earlier example of gaming is a case in point – while it might seem something “for youngsters,” it is worth bearing in mind that the Nintendo Gameboy hit the shelves in 1990. Those who were teenagers when this was the “must-have” gadget are now well into their 40s.
The other factor is what is known as cross-generational pull. Older generations see their children and grandchildren using smartphones for sharing photos and so on, and adopt similar behavioural patterns in order to stay in touch.
So are we all destined to become phone zombies, as Stephen King predicted? If so, at least we have the comfort of knowing that young or old, we will all be going down together.