If Sales Keep Growing, Will Smartphones be a Necessity?

In the top five most awesomely awkward moments that forced social networking events provide, this has to be up there: Exchanging contact info with a possible parter who doesn't have an email address You cock your head and scratch your chin and wonder why this otherwise smart and successful individual doesn't take advantage of the instant communication that email can provide. Well, the NY Times' Steve Lohr hypothesizes that smartphones will be the new email...

Apparently, sales of BlackBerrys, iPhones and the like are on the rise and projected to increase by 25 percent this year.

Ok, so that doesn't mean that the ol' 12-button send-and-receive-calls phones are going anywhere right? Wrong. Despite smartphone sales jumping, overall cell phone sales are expected to decline. More and more each day, a bigger percentage of the mobile-phone-using population will be carrying lean, mean, email-and-Web-surfing machines in their pockets.

The article goes on to suggest the idea that smartphone sales are increasing because of their value as both a communications tool and as a status symbol. Check out the whole story here at NYTimes.com.

Image from bradleypjohnson at Flickr with a Creative Commons License.

Comments (7)

There's no doubt in my mind that smartphones are going to take over, and in a few more years someone who is carrying a regular cell will look as out of place as a person today who would carry a walkman instead of an ipod. I still have my regular cell, but only because I don't want to pay for the added expense of a data plan. I would say that close to 75% of my friends already have either iphones or blackberries -- they're too useful, convenient, and yes, cool to not take over.

posted by mlleErica on June 11th 2009 at 9:51am
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I'm always a little surprised to see some of my tech savvy friends still use a dumbphone. They usually claim the monthly charges are what keep them from upgrading.

posted by etslee on June 11th 2009 at 11:55am
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Cost is what keeps me from "upgrading"... Twice the price for a monthly bill and a $200 phone?? No thanks... I'll stick with my $40 phone and cheaper monthly bill as long as possible.

posted by mspants on June 11th 2009 at 12:30pm
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Yeah it'll happen eventually. I think the main problem is affordable phones and plans. However, I noticed just the other day that with Att you can get a blackjack 2 (which is a very capable phone) for $30 and aren't required to have a data plan.

posted by peshue on June 11th 2009 at 2:32pm
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I agree that smart phones are the wave. I had one of the original "Sidekicks" and loved it. Kept upgrading it and found the price to be reasonable...something like $80 a month for unlimited data, email etc and 1000 minutes. (I don't talk much).....Recently I switched to Metro PCS because they have the Samsung Finnesse and an all you can talk all data etc plan for $50 a month. I was a little skeptical at first but no dropped calls and being connected 24/7 to the www has me sold......smart phons rock!

posted by MochaCaliGirl on June 11th 2009 at 2:37pm
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Eventually, yes. But they have a lot of work to get me. I am tempted by a $99 iphone, but not by doubling my monthly bill. Thats just ludicrous. (Not to mention needing to have a text messaging service on top of a data plan.) My complaints are specific to iphone/ATT, sure, but really I need a phone to make phone calls, and a 'phone' does that just fine.

posted by gypsumsatellite on June 11th 2009 at 5:04pm
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Cost is what keeps me from "upgrading"... Twice the price for a monthly bill and a $200 phone?? No thanks

An iPhone can be had for $99, now. AT&T's monthly rates are ridiculous, given the quality of their service (or lack thereof), but I still think it's pretty easy to justify if you're out and about much.

Remember, you can use your iPhone to access websites like Google, Amazon and BestBuy as you're out there shopping, allowing you to do quick price comparisons while you're still in the store. If you spend a few grand a year on clothes, electronics or other big (and even not so big) ticket items, it could be easy to save yourself more than the added cost of AT&T's overpriced plan.

Not to mention the money you can save Googling restaurant & hotel reviews and other such info if you travel often. Being connected 24/7 everywhere you go has some serious advantages savvy spenders can take advantage of.

Other stuff you can lookup on an iPhone can include everything from drug interactions and first aid tips to recipes and phone directories. It's all very Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!

posted by sunspot42 on June 12th 2009 at 1:17am
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