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. Apples 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, Apples 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 phones 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.

Apples 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 Canals 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
Apples 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
Apples 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.

Communication

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. Apples
advances in technology have made communicating
with society easier and a 24-hour a day industry.

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