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Mobile Phones Essay

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In their relatively short period of widespread use since their introduction in 1978 (Agar, 2003), handheld mobile telephones have had a significant impact across the globe on a social and economic level, however the long term impact of their use is difficult to predict. Despite this, mobile use in Australia has rapidly grown to rate of almost 130 phones per 100 people (MNO Directory, 2011), one of the highest in the world. Increasingly, consumers are purchasing smart phones, which have the same capabilities as computers in terms of internet access and processing power (Macmillan, 2007). These modern “smart phones” also allow for advanced features, such as mobile high-speed access to the internet and social media, and the ability to create, …show more content…

Dr Aric Sigman in his 2009 publication makes the claim that face-to-face contact has been declining as a result of social networking, and this reduction in human contact can alter the way genes work, upset immune responses, hormone levels, the function of arteries, and influence mental performance which in turn could increase the risk of serious health problems such as cancer, strokes, heart disease and dementia. With social network users totalling 1.43 billion in 2012, increasing almost 20% since 2011 (EMarketer, 2012), it certainly appears as though the popularity of these websites is showing no evidence of a decline, and if the claims Dr Sigman makes in his article are accurate, the use of social networking on mobile phones simply amplifies the negative aspects of social networking. Mobile software or “apps” are a popular, but recent feature of mobile phones. Software store fronts come preinstalled on all major smart phone platforms, and provide the user with access to a range of downloadable content such as games, themes and applications which can provide additional features not provided by the original equipment manufacturer. With the mobile application market expected to grow to be worth $25 billion by 2015 (Markets & Markets, 2010), the huge potential for success of mobile software can be seen with Finnish software developer Rovio,

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