The smartphone journey began in the early 1990s with devices like IBM’s Simon Personal Communicator, introduced in 1994, which combined a mobile phone with a touchscreen PDA. However, it wasn’t until the mid-2000s that smartphones began to gain widespread popularity.
The 2007 launch of Apple’s iPhone represented a complete departure from anything available then, including Nokia and BlackBerry smartphones. As Steve Jobs described it, it was a combination of iPod, phone, and internet communicator, all packaged behind an unusually sharp, almost three-dimensional touch screen.
First-day iPhone buyers who stared into that remarkable screen knew instinctively they were witnessing a revolution that would completely upend the entire technology industry. It turned out to be a pivotal moment in smartphone history, inspiring many trends, including that screen staring, something dubbed screensucking.
The iPhone revolutionized the industry with its sleek design, capacitive touchscreen, and intuitive user interface. It also introduced the concept of the app store, allowing users to download third-party applications, significantly expanding smartphones’ functionality.
The app store was not part of Apple’s original plans. Apple CEO Steve Jobs, living up to his control freak reputation, didn’t want to provide third-party developers unfettered iPhone access. His argument: “The full Safari [browser] engine is inside of iPhone. And so, you can write amazing Web 2.0 and Ajax apps that look exactly and behave exactly like apps on the iPhone.”
One year later, the Apple App Store made its formal debut. At its launch in July 2008, there were just 500 apps, but eager early adopters downloaded some 10 million apps, mostly games, during the first weekend of availability.
The iPhone’s innovative multi-touch display that worked with gestures also greatly impacted its new competition. Within a year, Google scrapped the first iteration of Android and showed off a new version running on a touchscreen phone.
The introduction of Android democratized smartphone technology, enabling many manufacturers to develop their own devices, leading to rapid innovation and competition. The HTC Dream and Samsung Behold SGH-T919, launched in October 2008, were the first Android touchscreen phones.
The debate between Android and iPhone became so heated for two Tulsa roommates that they stabbed one another while arguing over their preferred brand. Oddly, this happened in Oklahoma, demonstrating just how far the smartphone culture has spread.
The next big advance came in 2010, with companies like Apple, Samsung, and Huawei integrating high-resolution sensors, multiple lenses, and sophisticated software enhancements. These developments transformed smartphones into powerful photography tools, with features such as optical zoom, night mode, and 4K video recording.
But we all know it’s not about the hardware, it’s about the apps. The booming app economy represented a paradigm shift for users. Millions of apps have literally put the world at their fingertips, offering the ability to customize and personalize their smartphones infinitely.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan described that control this way, “The intimacy and distributed power of a smartphone in the hands of a person are so different than anything we’ve faced in our business careers.”
Market Dimensions
The global smartphone market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% over the next five years, driven by technology advancements and increasing connectivity needs:
- Current market size – The global smartphone market was valued at approximately $485 billion in 2022.
- Market forecast – The market is expected to reach $793 billion by 2029.
- Smartphone penetration – As of 2023, 90% of U.S. adults own a smartphone.
- Smartphone use – In 2023, there were 6.8 billion smartphone users worldwide, with that number predicted to reach 7.1 billion in 2024.
Screensucking
According to a 2016 dscout study, Americans pick up their phone on average 76 times per day, spending 2:42 hours on their smartphones. CBS News reports that 57% of smartphone users admit to being addicted to their phones.
This phenomenon, called screensucking, has greatly affected the social dialog. Fully, 89% of Americans reported using their phone during their last social interaction. When Pew asked how mobile phone use impacted group interactions, 82% of adults said it worsened conversation quality.
With Americans picking up their phone as much as 76 times per day, screensucking has led to decreased face-to-face communication skills, especially among younger generations.
Given the rapidly evolving smartphone market, however, with even more hypnotic next-generation phones boasting foldable and flexible displays (see Xiaomi Mix Flip in top image) and AI assistants, fighting the rising tide of antisocial behavior will be difficult.
Ubertrend: Unwired
