The mobile phone, most particularly the astonishing iPhone, is a ubiquitous feature of the world we live in. Most of us carry a mobile phone these days, whatever our age. In fact, the mobile phone might be one of the most prominent and powerful intergenerational products ever created.
But do you remember when they were first launched? It was back in 1983 and the units were carried around in a briefcase, weighed in at a kilogram, took 10 hours to charge and cost about $4,000. Known euphemistically as “the brick” because it was so heavy and unwieldy—a factor that had the unintended effect of keeping calls short—it was agony to use for more than a few minutes.
The Motorola DynaTAC
There was an early model out there known as the Motorola DynaTAC and, as many of you who remember the movie Wall Street, that clunky model became a symbol for the liberating power of money when Michael Douglas walked along a Hamptons beach in Wall Street and stoked Charlie Sheen’s greed: “I’m gonna make you rich, Bud Fox…This is your wake-up call, pal. Go to work.”
Instant Availability 24/7
Mobile phones became a significant inflection point in our lives because they made every one of us instantly available at any time of the day or night.
- In terms of design, weight, cost and functionality, they are now light years beyond what they were even 20 years ago.
- Mobile phones have gone from being expensive devices that complement landlines to the only phones many people use or carry.
- They’ve been transformed from being clumsy gadgets with poor signals to reliable instruments that can easily be slipped into a pocket or purse.
Cell phone infrastructure and policies are nothing like they used to be, either. Now we have access to unlimited calling plans and standardised networks so we can roam seamlessly from one carrier’s system to another, often without incurring fees or dropped calls.
The Astonishing Rise of the Smartphone
Today, the most popular models of phones are iPhones made by Apple and various other brands. These are mobile phones that enable users to install third-party apps such as audiobook and music libraries, video games and dating tools.
They also include cameras that can take pictures and record videos to share on social media, as well as built-in apps for accessing the web, viewing interactive maps, sending and receiving email and, of course, handling calls and text messages.
The Best Mobile Phones for Seniors
Recently, PC Magazine published a list of the best, most user-friendly mobile phones for seniors, which you can review by clicking on the magazine’s link.
It’s a comprehensive list and includes performance criteria such as screen size, most rugged build, best battery life and, of course, price – which varies significantly.
The overall impression given by the mobile phone industry is that their product is becoming increasingly compact, sleek, sophisticated, user friendly and cost competitive.
The Best Mobile Phone Plans
The online platform WhistleOut offers a comprehensive and up to date (2023 prices) comparison between such major carriers as fido, TELUS, and Bell, ranking each vendor according to best value, best unlimited plan and best family plan.
The comparison covers a total of 19 carriers and unpacks literally hundreds of mobile phone plans. WhistleOut are not the only source for phone plan price comparisons, so it pays to investigate your options by Googling Best Phone Plans Canada and checking out further options.
Smart & Getting Smarter
It’s clear that smartphones will soon be getting even smarter. In the mid 2000s, mobile phones could only do a tiny fraction of the things that their modern counterparts are capable of.
Now, thanks to recent technological advancements, it looks as though there will be no shortage of new smartphone features in the future to keep us evermore attached to our little digital devices.
