iPhone and Communication 1

iPhone and Communication

In any society communication plays a vital role in interaction between people. Due to the

technological advancements and popularization of different gadgets people have started to use

devices for communication. Especially today each smartphone provides access to the Internet

and people, who also use smartphones. However, Apple Inc. created a new way of

communication – an iPhone, which has its own small mobile universe with applications for

communication, music, movies and games. In other words, it is a new way of communication,

which significantly influences the ways of communication and the media. By changing the way

people interact, the communication itself also changes.

In the article “The iPhone and Communication” by Gerard Goggin, the author shows the

impact of the iPhone on social relationships between people. Moreover, there is also cultural

impact on society (Goggin, 2012). The author examines how this gadget changes the society and

the world people live in. In order to support his arguments Gerard Goggin differentiates the

communication into three types: personal communication, mass communication and mobile

communication. In other words, according to the author mobiles formed a new type of

communication, which is popular nowadays. The author also argues that the mobile

communication does not have any negative consequences for the society. However, the iPhone is

not as innovative as people might think, Apple Inc. simply used previous experience and

knowledge and combined it with modern technologies. Under the technological development

media and communication started to change. Furthermore, today media has started to adapt to the

mobile world because everyone has a smartphone, and the information should be available for
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people throughout the world. However, these changes lead to new issue that could negatively

influence the communication between individuals. In fact, iPhones do not create any problems, it

is the way that people percept these gadgets as essential one for them.

First of all, the iPhone devices have an intricate inner world with opportunities of

messaging, recording videos, listening to music, and this world attract people. They want to be a

part of this social world, however, people also want to stand out in a crowd of the Internet users.

Thus, Apple Inc. provides and opportunity for them to us iPhone, iTunes and Apple Store, with

separate and unique services that other smartphones do not have (Goggin, 2012). It is necessary

to agree with the author because mainly people purchase iPhones for its name and services, not

for technical features of the device. Even though the price for the same smartphone from other

manufacturer is lower, people continue to buy Apple's gadgets. In other words, people want to

communicate with special in their opinion social group. In addition, it is possible to presume that

by purchasing these gadgets people want to be special and differ from people, who do not have

iPhone. Furthermore, separate and unique world of services and applications makes available for

people to interact with unique world. However, this separate digital world is not real, thus, in real

world people could not interact with others, or they simply do not want to participate in public

life. Thus, people just become more withdrawn, and they deepen into the world of Apple

services.

Secondly, the iPhones promotes the device lifestyle, according to the author. With lots of

opportunities and function it is almost impossible to resist. In other words, people have to

constantly online in order to know news from friends, important information, any updates and

other latest data (Goggin, 2012). The author blames the company and new technologies that

actually capture people and create new update-addicts. However, this statement is wrong because
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the company only develops the products according to the buyers' preferences and their attitude.

In other words, people choose what to do with the gadgets and how to use them, it is their

responsibility, and manufacturer could be blamed for it. In fact, it is hard for people even to

refuse from the usage of the smartphone for a small period of time. People have become more

dependent on new technologies, in fact, gadgets have become essential part of life, which could

are replaced by the devices (Clayton, 2015). In addition, the reliance could result in addiction,

which is uncontrollable. Furthermore, people could not notice the addiction because it does not

influence physical health. It only damages mental world of an individual (Clayton, 2015). Only

when people part with the device they start to understand that there is an issue. First of all,

people feel anxiety and they are nervous about not holding the phone in the hand. Thus, it is

people's responsibility for device lifestyle.

Thirdly, the author states that iPhone is promoted as the device that connects people

across the globe by using the same services and systems. However, this statement is relevant to

certain extent. As stated above, the devices actually separate people in real world, however, the

devices actually unite people across the globe. Despite the fact, that individual might not know

the person alive. Modern services and devices are designed in such a way, in which people make

an actual digital id (Goggin, 2012). For example, people create an account with the help of an e-

mail. Furthermore by using online digital store people choose their preferences and interests in

order an application could provide the user with different interesting data for him/her. In other

words, people create virtual copy of themselves, and this virtual individual communicate with

other people. While the real person could be different. Thus, people are emotionally connected

with the iPhone, and they could not just stop using it. Moreover, digital version of the individual

could be precious and essential for the life of the person. Nevertheless, communication of the
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digital copy could not be fully alive and normal due to the fact that this communication is not a

communication at all. It is impossible to see the person alive with emotion, gestures and

mimics,which are essential aspects of the communication (Clayton, 2015). Furthermore, the

author does not state that whether it is a positive or negative aspect. It is obvious that excessive

usage of iPhone could have negative consequences.

Conclusion

To conclude, iPhone's services is not absolutely new, however, with a combination of

previous knowledge and modern innovations, iPhone provoked the appearance of mobile

communication by providing a lot of opportunities for its users. However, there is a dark side of

using the iPhone, by buying it people want to be special and separate from others. With this

device they also create a digital version of themselves that is different from them, and this gadget

improves mobile communication as well as replaces the place of live conversation.

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References

Clayton, R. and Leshner, G. (2015). The Extended iSelf: The Impact of iPhone Separation on Cognition,

Emotion, and Physiology. J Comput-Mediat Comm, 20(2), pp.119-135. Web.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcc4.12109/full

Goggin, G. (2012). The iPhone and Communication. Studying Global Media: Cultural Technologies,

pp.12-26.