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Kenny Menger
Mrs. Davis
Composition II
17 February, 2015
The iPhone Revolution
The iPhone, a technological breakthrough in the early 21st century, although many
advanced devices were introduced before the iPhone, and many more have come since, it was the
iPhone that set the standard for smartphone technology. Without doubt, the iPhone has had a
tremendous influence on pop culture. Almost everyone, including myself, owns a smartphone,
with the majority of those being iPhones. The iPhone is a substantially enhanced version of any
generic cellular phone, used as a means of communication through voice or text; however, it
supplements many more operations than one might think. The most over looked aspect is how
much people rely on iPhones, and not only that, but how much the iPhone relies on society.
Upon the release of the iPhone, an event occurred which generated awe throughout the
world and news outlets. Shortly after the release, a man found photographs of a charming young
woman saved in his new iPhone. (Perlow) The images were posted on the internet and circulated
rapidly. The woman, who was photographed while working on an assembly line to manufacture
iPhones, became known as iPhone Girl. It is truly remarkable how greatly the images were able
to publicize the iPhone. An article from, Convergence: The International Journal of Research into
New Media Technologies, asserts the desire for material items. Interpreting the scenes in which
we use consumer electronics clarifies the concept of materiality at work in these scenes and
shows how aspiration impacts upon our interactions with computers. (Perlow) The iPhone,
acting merely as a form of communication, has many other magnificent attributes. I corroborate

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the claim that iPhone Girl played an effective role in the desire for individuals to acquire
material aspirations.
There was once a time when people kept their thoughts stored in a diary, and away from
the public. Now it seems most everyone posts their feelings to some type of social media site or
blog which can be accomplished with the capabilities of an iPhone. While technology advances,
so do people, and as a result private information can be obtained without the consent of the
rightful owner. When first launched, the iPhone was very much a closed device locked to
one network provider; its applications on provided by Apple and its content safe guarded by
the digital rights management regime (Goggin) Once Apple opened their app store to outside
developers, it also invited in hackers. Just the same as any technological devices, hackers are
able to install spyware or malware on iPhones and obtain private information or images that an
owner of an iPhone does not wish to have revealed to the public. This, in most instances, causes
an uproar in society and is widely broadcasted through news channels and websites.
iPhones grant individuals with countless ways of self-expression, many of those being
ways that are greatly overlooked. Social media is a great way for people to express themselves.
With websites available through Safari, which comes installed on any iPhone, people can access
and post to a variety of social networking sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
Tumblr. The iPhone app store is another resource where some can download apps in a way to be
less conspicuous, which seems to be the way society is heading in this day and age. Games such
as Trivia Crack or anonymous websites such as Reddit, and even to the extent of dating apps
have become the norm. Aside from social media, another way the iPhone influences pop culture
is in the many ways it is able to be customized. I, myself, protect my iPhone with a Lifeproof
case as do many others, however; other options exist such as Otterbox and Body Glove cases.

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From self-expression to mourning, the iPhone has played a tremendous role in pop
culture. Excerpts from The European Journal of Cultural Studies provide solid facts concerning
both of those aspects. Apple Inc. has been portrayed as the progressive, individualistic innovation
as a means for people to separate themselves from others since the early years of Apple Inc.
(Sumiala, Valaskivi) I agree with Sumiala and Valaskivis claim that the iPhone placed an
enormous amount of emphasis on individualism; however, as the iPhone has become the
standard, many other companies are now emulating the Apple product. As a result of Steve Jobs
death in 2011, social media sites erupted with virtual mourning through Facebook posts,
YouTube videos, tweets, and blog posts. The article, Circulating Social Imaginaries: Theoretical
and Methodological Reflections, suggests the impact Steve Jobs had on technological
advancement. Steve Jobs offers an insightful case for the empirical analysis of circulation of
social imaginaries in the framework of commodification of culture (Sumiala, Valaskivi)
While acknowledging the tragic event of Steve Jobs death, I disagree with the extent of virtual
mourning that was displayed, as if Steve Jobs was the only contributing factor to the production
of the iPhone.
Apple Inc. and the iPhone depend greatly on society. Obviously, without consumers the
device would be rendered useless, but it is the people who unknowingly advertise the product in
various ways. Through aforementioned events and details, the iPhone has become known as the
most innovative device of the 21st century. Likewise, society heavily depends on the power and
features of the iPhone. A limitless number of apps and features provide the user with the utmost
amount of power resting at their fingertips.

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Works Cited
Goggin, Gerard. Adapting the Mobile Phone: The iPhone and its Consumption. Continuum:
Journal of Media & Cultural Studies 23.2 (2009): 231-244. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 5 Feb. 2015.
Perlow, Seth. On Production for Digital Culture: iPhone Girl, Electronics Assembly, and the
Material Forms of Aspiration. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into
New Media Technologies 17.3 (2011): 245-269 JSTOR. Web. 8 Feb. 2015.
Sumiala, Johanna, and Katja Valaskivi. Circulating Social Imaginaries: Theoretical and
Methodological Reflections. European Journal of Cultural Studies 17.3 (2014): 230243. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Feb. 2015.