By James
Mosieur
In
1985, at the beginning of the cell
phone era, cell phone users in the
world totaled only about 200,000.
Today, according to CTIA - The Wireless
Association, there are nearly 200
million in the US alone!
In
the past some waxed futuristic, saying
that someday there will be a cell
phone in every car. No one, not even
its creator, could imagine that the
cell phone would become the most
significant consumer electronic device
in history; bigger than its wired
cousin; bigger than TV’s; even
bigger than PC’s.
But
that's exactly what’s happening.
A
report by the Gartner Group projected
that by 2009, manufacturers will
be selling 1 billion cell phones
each year. By then, 2.6 billion people
worldwide will be using cell phones,
Gartner says.
The
cell phone's impact is so huge because
it’s so widespread. A business
associate of mine visiting a developing
country in Latin America noticed
a man riding a bike with a state
of the art cell phone on his belt.
To him a cell phone took priority
over motorized transportation. Anything
so big, so powerful, so far reaching
can literally transform society.
Many
sources project that this year cell
phones will outnumber land lines
in the US. Right now the mighty cell
phone is challenging the desktop
PC as the single most important productivity
and entertainment tool. With worldwide
ring tone sales reaching more than
US $4 billion last year, most via
over the air downloads charged to
the cell phone bill, the viability
of the cell phone as a commerce platform
has already been proven.
So
it’s easy to see how social
change can happen. Cell phones are
now an intrinsic part of our life.
When we misplace them we panic, when
we break them we seek counseling,
when we lose them we mourn. Our entire
life - phone numbers, contact names,
important dates, kids pictures, favorite
games, CD collection - is stored
on this mass of silicon and copper
wiring.
Just
exactly how the cell phone will affect
our future no one can be certain.
But we can be certain that the effect
on society will be huge. Will our
identity be tied to our cell phone
number; will cell phones become digital
wallets; will they be electronic
leashes keeping track of our children;
will we someday be able to get USDA
approved Motorola cell phone implants?
Who
knows? One thing we do know is that
new businesses will pop up, new ways
to make money will be discovered,
we’ll find new ways to be entertained
and the cell phone will continue
shape society. But for now let’s
just enjoy the new 20 megapixel,
nuclear powered, video mail enabled
iPod credit card flip phone made
by Motorola-Berry…sorry…there
I go…waxing futuristic again.
James
Mosieur is CEO of CellForCash.com
Group, Inc. He operates several
cell phone recycling websites
like www.CellForCash.com.
He has been in the electronics
recycling business since 1985.
James writes and speaks on cell
phone recycling and related subjects
particularly as they relate to
the individual consumer. |
