With the development of various technological devices and their integration into the citizens everyday lives, some concerns regarding their effects on children have been voiced. Although the advances in electronic technologies can be exceptionally beneficial, the excessive use of such devices by the younger population might become a crucial issue, negatively impacting teenagers well-being (Twenge, 2018). Nevertheless, the moral panic about childrens use of smartphones is not fully substantiated, as the fear of technological devices has been greatly exaggerated in the past decades.
The overall anxiety connected to technology has been a significant problem since the development of digital media and computer technologies. Since the 1970s, movies and video games have been suggested as the cause of various childhood disorders, proposed to instigate violent behavior among the younger generations (Bowman, 2017). In addition, several scientific propositions have supported the negative influence of television and media on teenagers (OReilly, 2020). Nevertheless, such adverse consequences have been shown to arise only after prolonged exposure to smartphones and television, while a moderate amount of screen time does not induce such results (Odgers, 2018). From this perspective, it is more pertinent to ensure that children remain knowledgeable about the use of technology rather than create additional limitations.
Scholarly research has demonstrated that completely vetoing a particular activity can have negative ramifications. For instance, a forbidden action can have a reverse effect on the children, prompting them to be more attracted to it (Kopecký et al., 2021). Therefore, advice from pediatricians does not recommend complete restraint on smartphones and digital technologies (Solecki, 2020). Discussing the disadvantages of electronic devices and having an open conversation is considered a more beneficial option.
To conclude, although the moral panic connected to the use of smartphones by the young generation has incredible popularity, it is not entirely justified. While the harmful effects of overexposure to electronics must be addressed, the widespread fear of technologies appears to be connected to decades of technology panic. Research highlights that electronic devices are linked to negative effects only in cases of overexposure, and it is proposed that the prohibition of smartphones may even promote the usage of electronics.
Modern life is impossible to imagine without a great number of devices that make peoples lives easier and help to keep many things under control. There are applications that we use at home or work, as well as those that we carry around all of the time. As an experiment, I decided to abstain from using my smartphone for twenty-four hours and keep a diary of observations related to abstention.
Description of the Device and Discussion of Its Use
Almost every person nowadays has a smartphone. Whether cheap or expensive, this device has a number of functions that help people to stay organized and engaged in social life without the need to use several different items of technology. Smartphones allow users to make calls, set the alarm clock, take pictures, make notes and reminders, and do many other things. Those appliances that have access to internet let their owners communicate with family and friends in a number of social networks.
I have a smartphone produced by Samsung. Its type is Galaxy J7. It is made by a Korean company Samsung. The device has a 5.53 HD screen and 16GB of memory ( Galaxy J7 16GB, n.d.). It was optional to add 256GB of additional memory, which I did. When I bought it, it cost $230. There are no ongoing costs except for some applications independent from the device that I may want to purchase. Due to the carefully established politics of the company, Galaxy J7 smartphones can be recycled ( Responsible recycling, n.d.). There are no specific terms of use. Owners can do whatever they want with their devices. However, when it comes to data stored on the smartphone, I have the privacy rights, and I am the owner of all data.
Samsung Galaxy J7 has a rather pleasant interface. If I want to, I can change the screen picture or the theme of the device. However, I preferred to keep the factory settings. Instrumentally, my smartphone has everything I could ever need: I use it as a phone, alarm clock, reminder, music player, camera, email box, and, of course, as a means of communicating through several social networks. I do realize that it is just an inanimate object, but I have some strong emotional connection to this device. It contains much personal information and many precious moments captures in photos and videos. I think that if I ever happened to lose it, I would feel upset and devastated.
I think that the major reason why I love this device so much is that the company strives to make its smartphones comfortable for people rather than merely develop technology (King, 2016). Some of its innovations allow the device to compete with the extremely popular Apple products (Kovach, 2015). Personally, I use it every day, and it was hard for me to imagine how I would spend twenty-four hours without my smartphone.
Diary of Observations
Innovations in the sphere of information technology have occupied every aspect of peoples lives (Barbrook & Cameron, 1996). Some scholars even consider this impact as political power (Winner, 1980). As I started my experiment, I realized that I am a victim of this power to the fullest extent. My abstention began in the evening when I was going to bed. I turned my smartphone off at ten p.m. and set the old alarm clock that I borrowed from my grandma. At six a.m., I woke up to the most unpleasant sound and could not realize what it was.
As soon as I turned the alarm clock off, I made a usual gesture trying to pull my smartphone from the table, but it was not there. At that moment, I realized that I started the experiment in the evening. During the whole previous week, there were some road repairs made on the road to my college, and each day, I would check for updates. On the day when I had no smartphone, I could not find out whether I needed to leave home earlier. So I left at seven not to be late.
I had no opportunity to listen to my favorite music on the way, so I heard different sounds in the street. I was surprised at how beautifully birds were singing. I was sorry for having missed so many natural miracles because of technological advancements. On my way, I was trying to remember whose birthday it was but failed. I realized that I had not been training my memory at all, and could not even remember my parents phone numbers in case of an emergency.
In college, I did not get distracted from essential things. I listened and looked attentively at everything and everyone, and I noticed many interesting details. However, I must admit that each time somebodys smartphone produced a sound, I immediately reached into the pocket where mine was supposed to be. On my way back, I could not contact anyone at home to ask whether anything was needed at the shop. Also, I could not call anyone who might have given me a lift home. However, I once again was fascinated by nature around me. I decided that I would spend more time without the smartphone and dedicate it to communicating with the real world.
When I got home at 4 p.m., I had dinner and prepared my home task. I did not see any pictures of my friends, but it did not feel too bad. Anyway, people rarely post something really beautiful. I turned my smartphone on at ten p.m. to find just five missed calls, about twenty messages, and a few notifications. I realized that a day without smartphone could be rather pleasant, even though a little uncomfortable.
References
Barbrook, R., & Cameron, A. (1996). The Californian ideology. Science as Culture, 6(1), 44-72.
According to Retford (2007), Smartphone can be defined as a gadget that enables the user to make telephone calls and has additional features that would be found on a computer such as sending and receiving of emails (p. 3). Some of the key features include operating system software that allows performance of more tasks than an ordinary phone would perform, allows web access, and has a QWERTY keyboard just like a computer. Tael Courier Services is considering purchasing smartphones to be used by the salespeople. This study will examine the pros and cons of smartphones and evaluate the top five smartphones to give a recommendation on the best that Tael Courier Services can buy for the sales team.
Background Information
Tael Courier Services Company has been in existence for the last ten years. The company has always prioritized on having the most efficient system of carrying out its operations, thanks to a competent and highly qualified staff. However, due to the intense competition in the market, the company intends to improve operations in its sales and marketing department in order to gain a competitive edge over its rivals. It is in this view that the company has put forward various sales strategies, among them being to introduce the use of smartphones by its sales team as an alternative to the somewhat rigid and bulky laptops.
During the last few months, the company has witnessed its sales dropping, despite the company having acquired a sizeable market share prior to this period. In addition, the salespeople have been taking a lot of time compiling sales reports and addressing the needs of customers, more so due to the fact they have been using notebooks in the field and inputting data into the system later in the evening. Surprisingly, a thorough check has revealed that, the cause of drop in sales has been as a result of customers shifting to other companies due dissatisfaction with the companys operations.
The company now wants to invest in the use of smartphones in field that would enable salespeople to perform their sales tasks and address the needs of the customers in real-time. Tentative information indicates that smartphones have the ability to connect to the internet and have a large data storage space, thus they will allow the salespeople to input data directly into the system, chat with the people left in the office in case they need consultation, send and receive e-mails, program their schedules and set reminders, and store customers contacts while still in the field. Basically, there are a number of smartphones available in the market, and despite some of them being expensive, there are some that can acquired efficiently.
Therefore, the company will carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the leading smartphones in the market and decide on the best one to use, among them being Sprint HTC EVO 4G, Motorola Droid X, Apple iPhone 4, T-Mobile G2, and T-Mobile HTC HD7. Most of these phones have in-built features including calendar, world clock, calculator, internet connectivity, camera, and notepad among other features (Miller, 2010), which will be of great benefit to the salespeople.
Scope of the Study
This study will evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using smartphones. It is also intended to give an evaluation of the top five smartphones and cite the best smartphone as a sales work tool for Tael organization. The five smartphones to be evaluated include the following.
Sprint HTC EVO 4G.
Motorola Droid X.
Apple iPhone 4.
.T-Mobile G2.
T-Mobile HTC HD7.
The bases of evaluation include price, weight/size, network, ringer options, battery life, and other extras included in the phone.
Report Format
The main sections in the report will be:
Advantages and disadvantages of smartphones.
An evaluation of the top five smartphones.
Conclusions and recommendations.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Smartphones
There are various advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of smartphones as discussed in this section.
Advantages of Using Smartphones
According to Armstrong (2010), smartphones have greater built-in functionality that enables them to be faster than other standard mobile phones. They help someone to be organized since they have calendars that can be used by the salespeople when setting the dates for meetings and appointments and thus will not guess the dates, which can lead to confusion (Armstrong, 2010). Electronic diaries are also available which the sales force can use to keep record of clients visited and on which date, when to see clients in terms of date and time and record discussions held with clients and the way forward.
They also have in-built automatic reminders that can be used by the sales people to remind them of meetings with client. The sales force is normally very busy with so many meetings and appointments in every day of their life and there is a tendency to be overwhelmed and forget, therefore, such reminders would be of great help. Contact lists are also available and would be of use in saving and maintaining client contacts, those of potential clients, and those who are likely to give referrals (Armstrong, 2010).
Time is a very important factor to the salespeople and they are supposed to be flexible. Smartphones allow salespeople to enjoy flexibility and save on time since they can take notes from their phones, be able to review and edit information in the diaries to make sure that the information is up to date (Armstrong, 2010). This implies that they can do this while working or seated in a vehicle instead of having to create time for that.
This gives them flexibility at work and proper time management. Information is power and smartphones gives a chance to access a lot of current and past information since they are internet enabled (Armstrong, 2010). For example, a sales person is able to access maps via the phone and this makes sure that they do not lose direction and in case they do, they can always find their way out with the help of Google and other search engines.
Considering that most sales people are highly mobile, they can access information regarding how trafficis and know which routes to take (Armstrong, 2010). They can also get information or details about potential and existing clients thus are able to tackle the clients. They also help sales people to be in touch even when in remote areas where they cannot access computers or other mechanisms for sending, receiving, and sharing information. The smartphones allows sending of large documents and attachments that otherwise could not be sent with ordinary mobile phones. Smartphones have greater functionality and are able to perform multiple and complex tasks (Armstrong, 2010).
The sales people can use smartphones to send samples of products offered by an organization send the view of a site that has been inspected or a sample of machines used by the organization to clients. They have a high speed when accessing the internet as compared to other ordinary mobile phones and therefore effective and efficient in time management (Armstrong, 2010).
Disadvantages of Using Smartphones
Despite the above mentioned advantages, use of smartphones has various disadvantages as discussed next. First, smartphones are very expensive to buy and maintain (Disadvantages of Smartphones, 2010). Buying such phones for the sales force would require hefty investment by the organization and the challenge would be offsetting costs incurred with the amount of revenue that would be generated. Smartphones go for about $199.99 (contract price as shown in Exhibit 1 below) and even repair to the phone incase of breakdown is expensive. These phones are also heavier and bulkier than ordinary mobile phones.
Considering sales people move a lot, adding extra weight to the documents carried and the long journeys covered may weigh their strength down. In addition, they have small screens and limited entry of characters compared to pocket PC, thus may not be ideal for salespeople with a lot of data to key in (Disadvantages of Smartphones, 2010). It is also risky for the sales people to move around carrying such phones.
Smartphones are very expensive and give sense of pride to the owners and therefore, the sales people might be targeted by thugs so much, thus risking their security (Retford, 2007, p. 34). The many features associated with smartphones may interfere with the productivity of salespeople. For example, a lot of time might be used on social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or watching TV as well as other activities that are not work related.
Exhibit 1
Smartphone
Contract price
No-contract price
Sprint HTC EVO 4G
199.99
$499.99
Motorola Droid X
199.99
$569.99
Apple iPhone 4
199
$599
T-Mobile G2
199.99
$499
T-Mobile HTC HD7
199.99
$500
Comparison of Contract and No Contract Price of Top Five Smartphones.
Evaluation of the Top Five SmartPhones
There are a number of smartphones that have been developed in the recent past, thanks to advancement of technology; however, the most conspicuous and leading smartphones are discussed in this section.
Sprint HTC EVO 4G
This smartphone utilizes a 4G network that is only available in a few areas or cities in the US. This implies that its network coverage is still limited, and therefore, it would limit the salespeople on geographical locations that would be reached with the phone. It might end up being inconvenient considering that the clients and potential ones are not located at static point. With this phone, it implies that if they go to places without 4G network, communication will be curtailed.
The phone is big in size and bulky and has a large screen of 4.3 inches (HTCEVO, 2010). Its screen size and its actual size allow it to handle various activities and functions. This implies that the salespeople can use it comfortably to handle the loads of processing and activities associated with their work such as processing clients documents, online data entry of clients information, sending of samples among other activities (HTCEVO, 2010).
The phone has an advantage in that it can download large documents for viewing, editing and printing and has high definition content (HTCEVO, 2010). Such features would help the salespeople to download forms to be filled by the clients. Though it has an internal memory of just 1GB, it has an external memory Inform of microSD card slot that enlarges the storage up to 32GB (HTCEVO, 2010).
This is a great advantage to the salespeople since they can store a lot of information. The kickstand at the back makes web viewing comfortable to the user while other features such as Gmail, Google talk, Google maps and others make access to information easier (HTCEVO, 2010, Para. 6). The full no-contract price for the phone is $500, which is very expensive with an additional $30 per month for unlimited data access. The good side is that there is unlimited data access but considering that this is a small business enterprise, it would not be logical to incur such a huge investment (HTCEVO, 2010).
Motorola Droid X
According to Anthony (2009), by October 2009, the phone no -contract price was $569.99implying that it is very expensive as a business phone whose benefits will be weighed against the costs incurred in its acquisition. The phone is relatively big and thick with a touch screen and this makes it suitable to use since it can handle loads of work. Its big size might be a bit disadvantageous since the salespeople need to move with it.
The keyboard is flat and shallow and thus would make the salesperson struggle whilst typing thus not recommended for tasks that involve a lot of typing. It lacks physical talks and end key buttons and they can only be accessed from the call application. This would eat into a salesperson time and may even fail to respond to important calls as he tries to access the buttons. The battery life is 270 hours of standby time while talk time is 385 minutes.
The battery life is therefore quite considerable since it can go for quite some time or days before switching off. Its storage memory of about 16GB is relatively large though not sufficient as compared to other smartphones and the information to be stored. It uses a 3G network, which is quite convenient for salespeople since it can be accessed in many places and has excellent call quality even in noisy places (Anthony, 2009). It has other additional features like Google map that is voice enabled and therefore, one just needs to mention the location while navigating through to get directions. This would make it easier for the salespersons to get directions (Anthony, 2009).
Apple iPhone 4
Apple iPhone no-contract price is $599 (see exhibit 2) which is on the higher end considering that Tael Company is a small business enterprise. It has a clear and sharper display that would allow the salespeople and especially those with poor eyesight use it with ease. It is relatively small with an average weight of 4.8 ounces, which makes carrying it relatively portable as compared to other devices like laptops. It has two cameras that makes image capture easier and allows for video shooting and this feature is of great importance when considering taking site view. It offers call features such as call waiting and call holding and besides that, offers face time.
Face time can be used by employers to track the salespeople at the exact location where they are and what they are doing thus act as a control measure. Battery life is 420 minutes, which implies that the phone can last for a day without recharging. This would ensure that the sales personnel are on reach throughout the day. It has an iOS operating system that allows multitasking and therefore the sales personnel can perform multiple tasks at the same time (Miller, 2010, Para. 2-4).
Exhibit 2
Smartphone
Full no-contract price
Screen size
Battery life
Sprint HTC EVO 4G
$499.99
4.3 inch
5.5 talk time hours
Motorola Droid X
$569.99
4.3 inch
6.4 talk time hours
Apple iPhone 4
$599
3.7 inch
7 talk time hours
T-Mobile G2
$499
3.7 inch
8 talk time hours
T-Mobile HTC HD7
$500
4.3 inch
6.5 talk time hours
A Comparison of Price, Screen Size and Battery Life of the Top Five SmartPhones.
T-Mobile G2
T-mobile G2 goes for $499 ant this is the full no -contract price which is relatively cheaper as compared to other smartphones. It is quite big in size and a bit heavy though the chin can be removed to make it fit in the pocket. Therefore, it can be seen to be more convenient to the salespeople since it is relatively cheaper and has a professional look that would portray the company as a successful company.
The keyboard is a bit raised and spaced hence makes typing easier and allows performance of various tasks such as short messages. This would be of importance to the sales team in that it can be used to send short messages to clients. The battery life is 440 hours with eight hours talk time and this makes it suitable for doing business since it can go for long without charge. It has wide network coverage and performs various tasks such as editing and downloading of documents, which is an essential feature that would help the sales team greatly (Cha, Para. 1-4).
T-Mobile HTC HD7
It is large in size with a large touch screen of about 4.3 inches and has the largest onscreen keyboard. Despite its size, the smartphone is easy to use and does not require a lot of training to the salespeople. The screen makes viewing of text and multimedia quite clear which is a good feature that can help salespeople see messages sent by clients clearly. It has a memory capacity of about 16GB which is quite large to store information though compared to other smartphones, it is not large enough though if can serve to store information required by the salespeople. The weight is quite uncomfortable since it is quite heavy and will be an additional burden to the salespeople.
It can also display upcoming appointments from the calendar automatically and this would constantly remind the salespeople of the appointments and keep them on toes. The social network is also great since it alerts when someone updates status and this can be used to transact business cheaply via the internet as compared to use of airtime. It is quite expensive since no contract price is $500 with a battery life of 6.5 hours talk time, which would service a busy days work (Miller, 2010).
Conclusions
From the study, it is evident that smartphones would be an ideal idea for use by the salespeople. Presence of the various in-built functionalities such as calendars, contact lists, internet connectivity among other features would help the salespeople to become more organized. Access to the internet and ability to send, upload and download images makes the selling process easier thus saving resources for the organization and improves on productivity.
Though they are weighty as compared to other phones, they are easily portable as compared to other devices such as laptops that cannot be slipped into the pocket. However, they are very expensive and it is therefore important for an organization to do a cost benefit analysis before investing in them. Among the top 5 smartphones is Sprint HTC EVO 4G,Motorola Droid X, Apple iPhone 4, T-Mobile G2 and-Mobile HTC HD7. These smartphones are more or less alike in terms of their functionality with differences in terms of features such as screen size as shown in exhibit 2 above.
Recommendations
Based on the findings, I recommend the use of smartphones by the company because they are portable, allow access to internet, are able to perform tasks performed by computers, and even multitask. However, smartphones are very expensive and the company must do a cost benefit analysis to assess whether expected revenue will match the costs incurred by the organization if smartphones are bought.
Tael Courier services would be advised to go for T-Mobile G2 since it is relatively cheap as compared to others, and hence will minimize on costs. Of the five phones, it has the longest battery life (eight hours), which is ideal for work purposes since it can go for a whole day without recharging hence convenient to the salespeople. The screen and weight are also convenient and portable as compared to the others thus making it convenient for the salesperson to move around with it. The ability to multitask and operate with ease at a high speed makes it more attractive.
Smartphones are powered by a central processing unit (CPU) which drives the device function and ultimately defines its processing power. The CPU in a device ensures that millions of transistors, memory cells, logic elements are in tune and perform in the right sequence, with the help of a crystal oscillator circuit which utilizes mechanical resonance to create electrical signals with precision frequency (Kakalios, 2018).
One of the major concepts in CPU microchips is the number of transistors it holds. Transistors are building blocks of integrated circuits in a modern CPU, which may contain millions of transistors in microscopic size. Transistors include three connection points or terminals which connect to one another or other components. When the current between the first and second terminals is modified, it changes the current between the second and third. The transistor essentially acts as an on-off switch since computers operate in binary. A series of transistors can be used to form a logic gate for performing logical operations.
Modern transistors are microscopic in size, measured in nanometers. As of 2020, modern smartphone CPUs have transistors between 7 and 10nm in size. The smaller the transistors become, the greater amount can be fitted into one microchip, allowing for the device to become fast, more efficient, and require less electricity to operate (better battery life). For years, the electronics industry has been guided by an axiom known as Moores Law, developed by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore. Moores Law suggests that the number of transistors in a CPU doubles every two years. It was an ambitious projection, which in 1965, predicted the rapid technological boom in electronic and mobile technology (Flamm, 2017).
Moores Law held true until recently experts indicate that the exponential increase in power is not possible. As modern transistors and scale of chip components reach the level of individual atoms, it becomes impossible by the laws of physics to implement such a rapid pace of growth. However, technical capabilities are still expanding, albeit very expensive, and allow to stretch silicon transistor technology as microchips are expected to enter 5-6 nm territory this year on top devices such as iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones. Even though Moores Law is slowing down it continues to improve with technology such as with Intels new technology which allows for 3D chip stacking that stacks chip elements vertically, allowing for a dramatic increase in performance as well (Tibken, 2019).
How do these physics and technical aspects fit together in everyday life and the impact of smartphone electronics devices? As evident, due to the increased number of transistors, CPUs have become incredibly powerful. Common anecdotal evidence is that the smartphone one holds in your hand right now is at least 10 times more powerful than those computers used during the early Apollo missions to send a man to the moon, in times when one transistor easily fits in a persons hand.
This processing power has changed peoples lives as the smartphone has become a universal device combining functions of multiple devices from only 20 years ago such as a calculator, television, camera, telephone, computer among many others. This is revolutionizing since the functions allow for efficiency, mobility, and connectivity among the population.
First, it is necessary to examine the innovations that the smartphone has brought to the industry for which it was originally intended communication. The smartphone with its operating and other technological capabilities has created numerous possibilities to communicate. It is now possible to not only make phone calls and send text messages but engage in live communication. Multiple social media platforms formed and grew as a result of smartphones, allowing for instant messaging, sharing of posts and images, and other entertainment-based exchanges. It also allows for possibilities such as video chatting connecting people via video across the world easily as well as features such as video conferencing and lives editing of documents that can be used in professional settings (Silver et al., 2019).
However, in recent years, smartphones have progressed beyond simple communication and the technologies found numerous daily life applications. Smartphones are now used for navigation, shopping, ordering services, conducting research. Entertainment availability is a major aspect of smartphones by enabling capabilities to play games, watch videos, and read the news on one screen. The technology has yielded tremendous societal benefits allowing access to banks, healthcare advice, and education in regions where these institutions may be lacking. The devices now allow people to track their health by measuring heart rate and allowing them to track micronutrients and healthy behaviors (Bhattacharjee, 2019).
All these capabilities are possible due to the processing power of mobile CPUs that only continue to push the boundaries of technological capabilities. There are greater improvements with each year as smartphone cameras improve and new features are added such as virtual reality or advanced health diagnostic tools, which working in combination with other accessories can further revolutionize applications of mobile technology.
The smartphone will undoubtedly have continuing impacts on society, as it has already changed the manner that people communicate, and numerous social behaviors. It has also given users much more autonomy as consumers, clients, patients, and citizens that will continue to increase as the now everyday device becomes more powerful.
Over the past few years of the 21st century, smartphones, production, and consumption have portrayed significant global growth. Today, smartphones have become almost inseparable from the lives of most individuals and businesses. Most people use smartphones for several functions revolving around their lives apart from communication. For instance, most business people use smartphones to store personal and business information such as photos, documents, bank accounts, personal diaries, and schedules. Notably, users trust that mobile phones are more secure and convenient in communication and information storage than laptops and desktops because they are always within the owners proximity. However, most smartphone manufacturers and users pay little attention to growing and evolving security risks which, when they occur, lead to the loss of important information or other heightened forms of cybercrimes, as this essay will demonstrate.
Smartphones Security Issues Overview
The popularity of the many functions that users put smartphones into today has significantly contributed to the increased security risks facing smartphone users and owners. Cybercriminals and thieves know that most people store private and sensitive information on their mobile phones. For instance, users can store family photos, passwords, or other personal or business data, all of which attract the curiosity of cyber attackers who want to possess a persons sensitive data with ulterior motives (Patil & Deshmukh, 2018). Most attackers leverage smartphone security loopholes that give them seamless access to private information such as the Short Message Service, Multimedia Messaging service, and other wireless connection services such as WIFI, GSM, and Bluetooth. Other attackers take advantage of the security weaknesses of browsers and software and the limited knowledge of the user.
Cyber-attacks Caused by Connecting Smartphones to Public WIFI
Noteworthy, as smartphone technology continues to evolve, so does cybercrime. As a result, most smartphone users face a widespread risk of their devices being hacked by cybercriminals when connected to the internet using public WIFI networks. If Smartphone users connect their devices to public WIFI, they risk unknowingly losing important information to hackers (Patil & Deshmukh, 2018). In addition, cyber attackers can easily eavesdrop on the users verbal or written communication to get sensitive personal such as their passwords and usernames. The attackers may use this information to access other users personal or business accounts or blackmail them to extort money from them. Therefore, smartphone users must avoid connecting their devices to public networks and rely on privately secured networks to enhance their information privacy and security.
Cyber Attacks through Smartphone Applications
Some types of smartphones which do not have application security, such as Blackberry, give cyber attackers easy access to the users phone applications. With this access, attackers can manipulate various processes, such as from the users phone. For instance, can access messaging applications and send, edit or delete messages without the owners knowledge or consent. In addition, third parties with malicious intentions can access users phone book read contacts, and make calls (Zaidi et al., 2016). Other times, hackers can intercept phone messaging functions, prompting an expensive application to pick up outgoing messages, causing the receiver to pay bills to access the text. Access to file opening phone applications by unauthorized persons can compromise important business files through viral infections. Research shows that hackers can acquire API keys to access Blackberrys applications without raising the owners alarm (Zaidi et al., 2016). Therefore, smartphone companies and users need to pay significant attention to enhancing the integrity of data contained in software and applications.
Bluetooth Connection Attacks
Moreover, smartphone users also risk losing important personal or business information to attackers through file-sharing applications such as Bluetooth. Studies show that Bluetooth security issues vary from phone to phone. For instance, users who use their phones to access unregistered services that require Bluetooth authentication increase the risk of their devices being attacked and controlled by cyber criminals (Sharma & Gupta, 2016). Under the condition mentioned above, a hacker requires connecting their device to the virtual Bluetooth port of the users phone to control various functions of the host device.
Since Bluetooth uses the local area network to connect with other devices, the attacker requires proximity to their intended host for connection discovery. The satisfaction of this condition allows the attackers device to communicate with the users, thus enabling file transfer between both devices. At this point, the attacker can send a malicious file to the users device, which translates to a virus if received. Cabir is an example of a worm that automatically passes from the attackers device to the phones whose Bluetooth is on and discoverable (Patil & Deshmukh, 2018). Upon the user accepting the incoming file and installing it as a program on their phone, the phone system becomes infected by the worm.
Cyber Attacks on Smartphones through Malware
Since most people access the internet using their smartphones, there is a high possibility that their devices can encounter malware problems. Notably, Malwares refer to computer software that hurts the host device system. Research shows that there has been a significantly increased form of Malware over the last few years. The most common types of Malware include worms, viruses, and Trojans (Wang et al., 2019). Trojans are programs present in smartphone systems that enable direct connection between users smartphones and other external users. A computer worm is known for its ability to multiply in several computers using the same network. On the other hand, a virus is malicious computer software installed in various programs and runs alongside other programs. The above three types of Malware can be used positively to assist in the normal functioning of smartphones, but they can also help attackers corrupt data from a users device.
Conclusion
In conclusion, smartphone production and consumption have been on the rise globally over the past few years. The main reason smartphones popularity has continued to grow recently is their ability to perform many functions that satisfy users personal and business needs. Among the many tasks of smartphones include communication and storage of personal information such as family photos, contacts, passwords, and business files. However, cybercrime seems to increase and evolve as smartphone technology grows in complexity, thus exposing users and manufacturing companies to several security risks. The vulnerability of these risks increases because smartphone companies and users pay little attention to enhancing security and privacy features. Therefore, many attackers leverage various security loopholes to intercept communications or steal important information from the user. As a result, smartphone users face several cyberattack risks. These risks include compromising messaging services such as SMS and MMS, where attackers can intercept users messages and perfume various alterations without the senders consent.
References
Patil, Y. G., & Deshmukh, P. S. (2018). A Review: Mobile Cloud Computing: Its Challenges and Security. International Journal of Scientific Research in Network Security and Communication, 6(01), 11-13.
Sharma, K., & Gupta, B. B. (2016). Multi-layer defense against malware attacks on smartphone wi-fi access channel. Procedia Computer Science, 78, 19-25.
Wang, Y., Sun, Y., Su, S., Tian, Z., Li, M., Qiu, J., & Wang, X. (2019). Location privacy in device-dependent location-based services: Challenges and solution. Computers, Materials and Continua. Web.
Zaidi, S. F. A., Shah, M. A., Kamran, M., Javaid, Q., & Zhang, S. (2016). A survey on security for smartphone devices.International journal of advanced computer science and applications, 7(4), 206-219. Web.
The article under consideration, Indias Booming Smartphone Market by Sean Mclain (2015), provides information concerning the development of the smartphone market in India while pointing out the tendencies that are bound to cause the increase in the product demand in the region.
Description of the Article
The article describes the increasing attention that phone manufacturers currently pay to India; the causes of this phenomenon are explained. Mclain (2015) points out that several Chinese companies (Xiaomi Corp., Lenovo Group Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co., Gionee Communication Equipment Co., Xiaomi) have decided to explore the smartphone market of India as they intend to manufacture and sell their products in the region. The main reasons that encourage this decision include the slowing Chinese economy and the growing demand for smartphones in the Indian market. Apart from that, the author emphasizes the importance of tax system changes that make manufacturing in India more profitable. Phone manufacturers from other countries also consider paying specific attention to the Indian market. For instance, the Taiwanese company Foxconn intends to set up factories in India. At the same time, the American company Apple plans to make its smartphones more affordable for Indian customers. The reason for this strategy, as the author explains, lies in the fact that it is the inexpensive handsets that are in high demand in India.
Analysis of the Article
The market described in the article is an example of the relationship between demand, supply, and price (Mankiw, 2014). In general, the Indian market has been rapidly assimilating modern communication technologies like mobile phones, the Internet, and smartphones. Even though there is still much room for improvement, for example, in the infrastructure, the market is developing very fast, which means that the demand in the region is expected to keep increasing (Mclain, 2015; Singh, 2008; Lee & Lee, 2014). The rise of demand reflected by the increase in supply is followed by the continuous decrease in price (Mankiw, 2014).
In the region, this tendency is especially prominent. Mostly cheaper models gain popularity in the Indian market, and the prices are expected to drop further (Lee & Lee, 2014; Mclain, 2015). This feature may reduce the appeal of the market, which is currently dominated by Samsung, especially for smaller companies (Mclain, 2015). Still, there is no doubt that the increasing demand will be met, as even giants like Apple are ready to participate in the competition in the market. The principle of the market economy being regulated by its natural laws is therefore illustrated in this situation along with the principle of trade making everyone better off through the encouragement of competition.
Apart from that, mobile telephony is a technology that serves to increase the economic performance of separate individuals and the country in general (Singh, 2008). This is why the increasing demand for smartphones in India appears to manifest positive dynamics. In this light, the changes in the tax system that facilitate manufacturing electronics in the region seem to be a reasonable improvement. Since taxing does constrict manufacturers and diminishes the markets appeal, reducing its deadweight loss is a major step forward (Mankiw, 2014). As one can point out, in this case, the principle of the government has the potential of improving the situation in the market is being illustrated.
Conclusions
The article by Mclain (2015) describes the Indian market in its transitional state as the demand, supply, and prices keep changing in search of the equilibrium. India, being one of the most populated countries, is shown as a promising market for phone manufacturers. Other elements (the tax system changes or the economic situation in other countries) are also demonstrated as the factors that define the supply in the market. The trends are described as beneficial for the economy of India along with the consumers and the potential and current suppliers.
Xiaomi Corp., which announced Monday that its some of its phones are now being assembled at a factory in India, isnt the only Chinese smartphone maker with its eye on the subcontinent.
With the Chinese economy slowing and demand for smartphones picking up in India, Chinese handset makers including Lenovo Group Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co. and Gionee Communication Equipment Co. are looking to produce and sell more phones in the worlds second-most-populous nation.
But Indian consumers prefer cheaper phones than their Chinese counterparts. Roughly half of smartphones sold in India for the three months ended in June cost less than $100. In China, these low-end smartphones accounted for about 20% of the market over the same period, according to research company International Data Corp. IDC predicts the average selling price of Indian smartphones will fall to $102 in 2018 from $135 in 2014. The $100 Galaxy J1 and other inexpensive handsets drove sales for Indian smartphone market-leader Samsung Electronics Co., helping to increase its share of sales to 23% of the smartphones sold during the quarter ended June 30. In other markets, including China, sales are driven by its flagship Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, which sell for around $600 and $700, respectively, in the U.S.
Smartphone penetration is growing rapidly. While Internet penetration levels in India resemble Chinas numbers from six years ago, smartphone penetration is only four years behind, according to a Credit Suisse report. The skyrocketing growth has even caught the attention of Apple Inc., which recently started offering financing to make its iPhones more accessible to Indians.
That might be bad news for smartphone manufacturers who operate on already razor-thin margins, but its potentially good news for Indian consumers and the Indian economy.
It also helps explain why contract manufacturing giant Foxconn says it intends to invest billions of dollars setting up factories in India, and why Xiaomi recently announced its first made-in-India smartphone, the $107 Redmi 2 Prime. Changes to tax rules now make it cheaper to manufacture electronics in India. It also shortens the supply chain, meaning phone-makers can get their products to consumers faster and reduce inventory costs.
For a leader of any company, be it a small business or a large corporation, it is essential to analyse its current state, define the factors that influence it and try to predict the future of the firm itself or its product. Various methods and models allow managers to do that successfully and even avoid a decrease in demand for a companys goods or services. One such tool is the life-cycle model: by studying its stages and determining which of them the business is currently at, leaders can make their decision-making process more effective. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the life-cycle model itself and then analyse whether the smartphone industry followed the pattern of this model.
Defining the Life-Cycle Model
To begin with, it is essential to define the industry life-cycle model and then talk about its stages and importance. According to Cubico et al. (2018), the industry life cycle refers to the overall duration of the whole industry or a particular company from beginning to end. In other words, it is the concept that describes how businesses or industries evolve and pass through four mandatory stages: introduction (or emergence), growth, maturity, and decline (Grant, 2018, p. 191). The first stage refers to developing an idea and introducing the industry or a company; generally, the sales are small and the industrys products are yet unknown. In the growth stage, market penetration is accelerating due to the increasing number of clients and technical improvements (Yu, 2021). The third stage (maturity) is characterised by the growing market saturation, which then is changed by demand for replacement (Cubico et al., 2018). When this happens, it is possible to say that the industry reaches the decline stage. All companies go through the life-cycle stages. The only question is how long the particular industry will be able to stay in the maturity stage.
The Extent to Which the Evolution of the Industry Followed the Life-Cycle Model
Many industries have already passed or are passing the life-cycle stages and now allow researchers to study them. The smartphone industry is especially interesting as it emerged relatively recently, and it is likely that after several decades, the industry will enter its decline phase, as statistics show that the demand is already decreasing (Zahran, 2021). Some representatives of current generations remember living without cell phones, and nowadays, people can witness the maturity stage of the smartphones industry.
It is possible to say that the introduction stage of the smartphone industry started in the 1990s when the first PDAs were created. Back then, the idea of having a computer in ones pocket started to seem more real, and major manufacturing companies began their work. During the following several decades, the industry was in its growth stage: people all over the world began to recognise the value and convenience of a smartphone, and more and more persons could afford to buy one. This phase was also defined by the introduction of iPhone devices and the subsequent onslaught on various Android models (Zahran, 2021). The more new features and updates manufacturers offered, the more often people changed their smartphones to a newer model (Zahran, 2021). The sales and the number of customers were increasing rapidly, and technologies started to be more innovative, which are the major signs of the growth stage.
Nowadays, there is no doubt that the smartphone industry is in its maturity phase. According to researchers, this means that innovation has slowed, and users of the technology no longer see a need to upgrade their devices that often (Zahran, 2021, para. 3). Although a new Galaxy or iPhone model is released every year, there are no major innovations or improvements. At the same time, the industry is still popular, and in developed countries, it is now unlikely to find many persons without a smartphone. To predict the future of the industry, it is possible to compare it with the life cycle of the hotel industry. As noticed by Grant (2018), in America, hotels were established in the eighteenth century, and by now, the industry has reached the maturity stage. However, with the growing popularity of services like Airbnb, there is a threat to the hotel industry, and it is likely that it will reach the decline phase soon.
Surely, there are some advantages and disadvantages of the industry life cycle. For example, it is rather good that companies and products change each other and people are offered newer goods and services (Yu, 2021). Additionally, leaders can benefit from this model as it provides them with the opportunity of proper analysis of the strengths, weaknesses and future possibilities of their businesses. As for the disadvantages, the industry life cycle means that there is an end to every product or company.
Conclusion
To draw a conclusion, one may say that studying the model of industry life cycles may be rather interesting and helpful for both researchers and leaders of companies. For the latter, it is especially useful to understand why their products become less demanded or how to make their business more successful and long-lasting. Eventually, all products and industries will decline because customer needs never stop growing and changing. What is possible for businesses is to try to stay in the maturity stage of the industry life cycle for as long as they can. In this case, the leaders of companies can gain profit and even offer consumers a replacement for their own product, which will help them exit the declining industry and enter the emerging one.
Reference List
Cubico, S. et al. (2018) Entrepreneurship and the industry life cycle: the changing role of human capital and competences. Berlin: Springer.
Grant, R. M. (2018) Contemporary strategy analysis. 10th edn. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Yu, X. B. (2021) The fundamental elements of strategy: concepts, theories and cases. Basingstoke: Springer Nature.
Modern technology has simplified people’s lives in many ways. We can shop and book tickets online, enjoy access to exhibits in museums and art galleries that would be impossible to visit in person, and combine every step with communication. Mobile phones are great devices when it comes to saving time, for example, when going somewhere to talk to another person or checking how children are doing while away from parents. However, are our smartphones entirely beneficial? To my mind, certain dangers are hidden behind their colorful and peaceful wallpapers. There are occasions when looking at a picture of a favorite landscape or a beloved person may become an individual’s final act.
Moreover, being distracted by mobile devices can cause harm not only to their owners but also to total strangers who merely happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am convinced that using a phone while driving is one of the most dangerous acts for several reasons: Drivers get distracted and overstressed, they may cause an accident and get hurt, and finally, they may cause harm to other people.
The First Argument
In his article “Phone Makers Could Cut Off Drivers. So Why Don’t They?”, Matt Richtel discusses the possibility for phone manufacturers to eliminate drivers’ access to their devices while on the road. In my opinion, violating the rules of limiting the use of phones by drivers indeed leads to a “grisly picture” (Richtel). A growing number of news reports depict disastrous outcomes of texting or talking on the phone while driving. People think that they can cope with everything, but in fact, multitasking causes more stress than convenience. Therefore, I believe that citizens should be allowed to choose only one of these two options: Either drive or communicate.
The Second Argument
I am not alone thinking that driving and texting or talking on the phone is a bad idea. Even the companies that produce mobile phones admit that their products can be employed for “illegal, dangerous, and sometimes deadly activity” (Richtel). Despite a variety of social advertisements, people cannot escape their obsession with their devices, which frequently leads to accidents that result in differing levels of harm. Unfortunately, admitting the problem does not add up to the same thing as being ready to resolve it. Smartphone corporations are afraid to introduce limitations for drivers as the new regulations can decrease consumers’ loyalty and sales (Richtel).
The Third Argument
However, the biggest tragedy is not in people hurting themselves but in there causing serious damage to others. Numerous cases of negligent driving that led to people’s injuries or deaths have been reported (Richtel). I believe that technologies should be adjusted in a way that would not allow drivers to put anyone’s life—including their own—in danger. It is obvious that we are not almighty, and there is nothing wrong with admitting that. We are just human beings who have only two hands and one head, and we should consider carefully where our minds should be focused while driving.
Conclusion
In my essay, I have attempted to express an opinion about the danger presented by distracted drivers. Technology has certainly made our lives easier, but we should not take them for granted and neglect the risks presented by inattentive behavior. I do believe that every person has the right to operate his or her devices, but I am also convinced that individuals have no right to make themselves comfortable at the cost of other people’s wellbeing.
The development of technology significantly affected modern companies’ approach to business. Almost every person has a smartphone now, and this device is no longer used just for communication. Smartphones are similar to computers, having enough power to create, share, and publish media files. Moreover, many industries are transferring their content into the online world, further linking technology and one’s ability to work. From this point of view, using smartphones for work seems to have many advantages. Employees are not bound to the office, and they can negotiate different working hours that are comfortable for them and their customers. International deals can be completed easily with access to the internet, and people working in social media or news industries can respond to new events instantly. However, the lack of employees’ physical presence in an office also has drawbacks. Managers and business owners have to monitor workers’ adherence to the plans and create new systems for keeping everyone informed about any business-related updates. Organizational culture may also suffer if employees do not know each other and, sometimes, their clients, personally.
Ethical Issues
Another major issue of using a smartphone for work is the lack of distinction between work and off-hours. Many employees are now expected to be available after work and during vacations or the weekend. This may raise some ethical issues, blurring the line between work and rest. The established 40-hour working week does not include phone-based conversations or urgent responses, thus putting employees’ pay and benefits into question. Furthermore, workers need to rest in-between working hours to recharge their energy and deal with other duties – family, friends, personal growth, and relaxation. People who are feeling the pressure always to be available may experience changes in their physical and mental well-being, apart from performing poorer and viewing their job negatively.
The rapidly spreading enhanced technology, the use of Smartphone becomes inevitable. They are reliable considering the privacy of information as they contain standard security. The security standards include the use keystroke dynamics, monitoring the time of key holding, the flight time, multiplayer access regulations, priority regarding the application accessibility.
All phone security related phones get resolved through these standards. This project focuses on creating a device administrator’s phone application to be installed on the Smartphone. The entire test conducted on volunteers possessing an Android Smartphone. The dynamic application quantifies and analyzes the keystroke of a user and differentiates between a genuine or not genuine user regardless of a correct password.
It is a way of ensuring authentication through a static or continuous approach. Users of these Smartphone will not know about the technology unless informed hence enhancing the utilization of the multiplayer access technology. The access technology enables a device owner to put different priorities to the device accessibility.
Different users need privacy differently, making this project relevant. In many occasions, the access control technology is essential. They include company security protocols, sharing of cell phones, parental control over the use of cell phones etc. However, this access authentication does not prevent the popular privacy attacks like dictionary attack but the new keystroke dynamic application does.
Therefore, the combination of the two, results into a strong and stable device access authentication. The user of the Smartphone with the dynamic application will enjoy privileges of assigning unique access to their phones. For instance, the application monitors privacy from the password level, username and mode of password entry by user. Actually, the combination resolves the issues of security gaps and the technological drawbacks.
The project is basing its arguments on various studies that concentrated on the effectiveness resulting from the separate application of the two and not their combination. Most of these studies focused on the single-layer authentication without the ability to alert the genuine device owner in case of any security sabotage e.g. the Personal Identification Number (PIN).
Another related technology id the DiffUser where users have full device access, access main function and but cannot install or uninstall any software. The combination idea of the project will allow users to have full access and control of their device privacy in the best personal way possible. Other studies have influenced the project by showing the possibility that a device owner can assign settings for a borrower.
Based on the combination, the project focuses on creating a security system that is applicable to any Smartphone device with an Android operating system. Therefore, the project will provide a solution to the existing technology challenge of combining the two authentication technologies.
Primarily, the results of the project will consist of a password authentication using keystroke dynamics followed by access depending on that. Another an influential factor in this project, is the fact that the Android operating system originally contains security factors like security models & designs, codes, fixation of all bugs or backdoors and a reliable 24-hour support team that respond to any concerns.
In addition, this operating system consists of a robust design where user data and system resources are separate. It also contains an application mandatory sandbox and security inter-process communication, making it efficient for the project two technologies technique.
The advantages provided by the Android operating system play a crucial role in the success of this project. These advantages undergo transformation to create enhanced Smartphone security based on the accessibility of the phone by the user. The project incorporates privileges of character features for the security gaps and a double Authentification system. The different security levels include limited user level and administration level.
Administration level allows users’ full device access, utilization, camera usage, GPS, software installation or uninstallation options etc. Administrators have full control of the security system for example, in companies where employees can try to interfere with the database.
Parents are also an excellent example, mostly those who tend to monitor their children social interactions closely. The limited level depends on the administrators pre-authorization. The Administrator controls it. The users at this level can only change lower access privileges. They include children and employees.
This project will use the Eclipse Integrated Development Environment created in the Java Programming language and the Extensible Markup language. The Eclipse is suitable for this project because it is compatible with the operating system and is an open source. The new software resulting from this project will undergo testing through the installation into any Android-based device.
The application will prompt the user to enter the Administration username & password then re-enter for confirmation. After this, an option of continued usage or creation of a limited user appears. In the case of creating a limited user level, the Administrator will set the privileges for the limited user.
The handling of android smart phone is quite different from the rest; upon installation of new programs, creation of user window is crucial for administration purposes. The super user interface contains user log in information and can change at users will. Application choice appears on the super user interface where the user can select the application that will be suitable.
SQLITE database remains to be the main storage location. Background service counterchecks running applications, and when the user is a limited user, it blocks applications. When the super user logs in, the background service shuts down.
The demonstration of android smart phone appears relatively easy to many. Upon turning on the phone Android Smartphone, the application will automatically run, each time the phone starts or unlocked. The duration it takes for the splash screen to appear is three seconds. The application checks for first time users, the creation of the display window normally determined by the user status.
The windows vary from first time user, super user to limited user. If the application ran earlier, a log in window screen will appear. If it is for the first time, account creation window will appear with user name, password, and confirm password fields filling by the user. The log information then stored in memory that is SQLITE application database. Super users have full access to the phone and can modify, delete and create other users.
After the creation of super user account, options for creation of new accounts appear. The window appearing consists of three options: create a new user, modify user access, and continue.
Create a new user option allows the user to create limited accounts; the limited users will have limited access to applications in the phone. Modify option allows the super user to modify the limited user accounts and limit or add applications that can be accessed by the user. Continue option allows the user to proceed without making any changes.
Android Smartphone evaluation experiment bases on volunteers. Ten volunteers must be well conversant with the use of the Smartphone’s provided to them these are Motorola Razr and Samsung Galaxy S3. The evaluation will determine the security of the phones through examination of user log in information.
Dwell time is the time they key presses on board. While flight time that is the time between pressing two buttons on the keyboard. The volunteers must check for random applications both for limited and super user to see if the applications will work or not.
The testing of the smart phones carried out through the installation of application to Motorola Razr and Samsung Galaxy S3. The creation of Super user account and two users created with different applications that they could access. The name and password stored in the memory database given to each user. After a thorough analysis, the users could not access blocked applications.
The background service was at its best through the checking or running applications, when the application blocks, the user cannot access it. The other users with the application allowed to them could access the application without problem, hence confirming the hypothesis that the android multiuser is functional.
The super user could delete or modify other user accounts. The testing mainly carried out in two phases: the first phase tested the keystroke dynamics authentication; the test carried out through asking the volunteers to key in name and passwords. The second phase encompassed testing of the multilayer access authentication.
This involved the creation of limited users’ accounts and an application blacklist to the user. The success rate of the second phase was 100 percent, in that the users were able to access applications that were accessible to them and not those in the block list.
The future of android Smartphone seems bright. Improvement of the project through constant modification and improving the security level of the users are key features in development of the android phones.
The processor speed, internal phone memory and the display characteristics of the android Smartphone are key areas to improve. Application monitoring trough minute-to-minute and second to second can be the key areas that development of the application can progress in the right direction. Notification details and tones improvement will occur through modification of the present applications.
In summary, the increased demand and use of Smartphone in the world requires changes in terms of security and application services. The authentication of security details could prove to be the future of the phones as normal security is not strong enough with the technologies improving.
The authentication technologies coupled with multilayer access control is the key authentication processes. The processes can monitor key strokes and detection of short passwords. Technological improvement geared towards increasing phone privacy are tested and implemented.
The advantage that android operating system has over the others is that it is an open source. This means an application or software written in java in the Google store easily downloaded and used with no expertise needed.
The installer directs the program in a manner that the user waits for installation to complete without doing anything. The program can then run on the background when the smart phone turns on. The password technology mostly improved to give a more secure phone and application use.