The Advancement of Mobile Technology and Smartphone Addiction
The advancement of mobile technology has led to the overuse of smartphones, which may lead to addiction (Samaha and Hawi 2016). Traditionally, the mobile phone was used for communication purposes only, but there have been improvements in the mobile phone which makes it more useful than before. The rise of social media has been one of the leading causes of smartphone addiction since it can be used for sharing news, connectivity, and as a portal for conducting business. Social media is one of the main achievements which has come out of the technology and has made life easier for many people. The smartphone has also replaced many devices since it can perform most of the functions which were done by traditional devices such as computers. Lack of parental care and enough socialization at a younger age can cause smartphone addiction since it becomes the only way of handling boredom. Smartphone addiction can have an impact on the lives of its users. For example, there is a social disconnection since the smartphones replace the face to face interactions. The overuse of smartphones can lead to health issues such as sleep deprivation and eyesight problems for the users. Notwithstanding, there can be adverse effects on the productivity and school performance of the young people. Since the prevalence of smartphone addiction has risen, it is vital to discuss its causes and effects to understand the perspective of the discussion.
The Smartphone as an Interesting Device
The smartphone has become an interesting device since it can provide its users with different functions of social media, which may lead to smartphone addiction (Samaha and Hawi 2016). Social media can be used for many tasks including acting as a portal for conducting business and improving the connectivity with other people. The geographical barriers are no longer an issue when it comes to social media. This fact makes smartphones perfect and more interesting to use since there is access to different content globally. Therefore, people tend to get addicted since it gives them the access to information and fun which they could not have been acquired in other platforms. It replaces many traditional devices such as fax and still holds the attention of the user.
Effects of Excessive Smartphone Use
Excessive use of smartphones can affect the performance and productivity of its users (Samaha and Hawi 2016). The productivity of a nation can be attributed to how educated it is. However, when young people spend most of their time on the phones, it can affect their academic performance. The time people spend on their phones can be used to either study or do other productive work. The games which are available on smartphones have made the addiction worse since young people can spend hours playing them and watching video content if they have access to the internet. There are health effects that can be attributed to cell phone addiction. Excessive cell phone use can cause insomnia and eyesight problems. Notwithstanding, it can be a root cause of stress and depression due to social media bullying which is prevalent on the internet. Eventually, it might cause a decline in their grades and influence the productivity of the nation in the long run because they do not give enough priority to such vital issues due to the cell phone addiction.
The Positive Consequences of Smartphone Use
It is imperative to consider the positive consequences of unlimited use of smartphones such as online marketing and trading platforms (Samaha and Hawi 2016). Some people may use cell phones excessively with the aim of advertising their products on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The social media and people have expanded the market of products do not have to pay a lot of fees to advertise their products. The buyers can effectively negotiate and buy products through mobile phones. Therefore, the cell phone addiction might be caused by the need to make an extra income. The effect might be increased trading activities and access to a broader market. Consequently, there might be improved standards of living due to such activities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is vital to consider both the positive and negative impacts of smartphone addiction. The adverse effects can include poor productivity, poor performance, health effects, and social disconnect due to the lack of face to face interactions. Notwithstanding, the time used on social media platforms can be essential for other productive activities. However, the smartphone simplifies many operations such as doing online businesses to be accessible.
References
Samaha, M. and Hawi, N.S. 2016. Relationships among smartphone addiction, stress, academic performance, and satisfaction with life. Computers in Human Behavior, 57, pp. 321-325.
