At this point, it’s hard to imagine a time when you had to log onto the internet via dial-up to browse the web, wait days (or weeks!) to talk to someone cross-country, or even copy notes out longhand. But in just a few short years, our expectations of how and how quickly we can communicate have expanded, almost creating an entirely new language (emojis and memes, anyone?)
Smartphone apps especially have changed our lives in numerous ways, and it stretches beyond just our Internet speeds. The Google Play store has more than 3 million apps for Android smartphones, and that number continues to grow, infiltrating both our personal and professional lives in many ways.
Discovery
Smartphone apps make it easier to find content that interests us: the Discover tab on Instagram, the newsfeed on Pinterest, the trending topics on both Twitter and Facebook. Algorithms sort content based on items you’ve already liked and cater to your preferences, cutting through the noise to present more of the content you want to see.
Moreover, the nature of most smartphone apps allows you to connect with the person behind the content. The world in which we live now contains far less barriers between artists and appreciators.
Communication
The best part is – it doesn’t matter where these awesome people are located that are creating the content you love. A few simple taps and you can be connected to someone half a world away just as easily as turning to the person next to you to start a conversation.
Different apps make it easier for smartphone users to find the right medium to express themselves. Pictures, blogs, snapchats and podcasts – even if they contain the same content – reach different people in different ways that resonates with them.
But apps don’t just stay in your personal life. Many bridge the gap between mobile and desktop usage, creating connected offices, improved workflows and office mobility for a growing population that requires flexible workspace.
Organization
Paper products are certainly not disappearing any time, but for most paper products there is an equal app (and it likely integrates with other apps you’re using). Planners and calendars, books and notes can all live within an app on your smartphone. The success of smartphones, and in turn paperless organization apps, have made an impact on a world that becomes more concerned every day with pursuing green ways of living.
Accessibility
We are living in an on-demand time period. Apps have contributed to our expectations that the media we consume is available when it fits in our schedule, not the other way around. It’s changing the way we consume news, with newspaper sales declining and television stations struggling with cord-cutters that pursue on-demand options instead.
Owning a smartphone can definitely seem like a luxury to many. Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxies, now into their 8th iterations, continue to carry hefty price tags. But for those that see past name brands, cost is no longer a barrier to those yearning to own a smartphone.
Quality Android smartphones are especially available to the public. With seamless integration to Google Play, the Android app store, and less restrictions on launching apps, budget-friendly smartphones with the same quality performance as those with $800 price tags are available.
NUU Mobile builds budget-friendly smartphones with a focus on matching the performance of leading brands. Explore all NUU Mobiles Android smartphones here.
