While it might feel like smart phones have always been part of our lives, they are still relatively young in years. The Apple iPhone just turned 10 in June, and it’s interesting to look back and see how mobile devices have changed how people communicate and shop. What was once a high-tech oddity is now a permanent fixture in the average person’s life.
Consider how the iPhone and smart phones have changed the daily landscape.
According to Pew Research:
- 77% of U.S. adults now own a smartphone
- 51% of young adults’ homes contain 3+ smartphones
- Smartphones are used for more than calling and texting
- 51% of U.S. adults use smartphones to make online purchases
- 20% of households below $30,000 income are smartphone-only Internet users.
- 55% of smartphone owners get news alerts on their phones
- 28% of owners do not use a screen lock to secure their phones
- Ownership is climbing in developing countries, but there is a digital divide in ownership
How do you use your smartphone?
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
- Poll students: What type of smart phone do they have? What age did they first get a smart phone? What was it like?
- Ask students to list 10 things that they use their phones for each day.
- Build a full list on the white board to review with the class.
- Show the research article from Pew: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/28/10-facts-about-smartphones/?utm_source=Pew+Research+Center&utm_campaign=3a5800a955-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_06_22&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e953b9b70-3a5800a955-399503221
- Discuss the components of a situation analysis: company, general industry, trends, key competitors, technology, legal, etc.
- Divide students into teams. Have each team use laptops to do general research to answer the environmental factors above.
- What should smartphone companies do to adjust to these factors?
Source: Pew Research
