Smartphones win in 2017

As we experience change in our country’s leadership, a lot of other things have changed in the last eight years as well in the smartphone world. According to a Jan. 12 report from the Pew Research Center, roughly 77 percent of Americans now own a smartphone, including 74 percent of those 50-64 years old. Yes, you read that right. Three-quarters of those in the baby boomer range are touch-screening, email sending, news reading, picture taking, social media post sharing members of the smartphone community.

While the lion’s share of those 18-29 are using smartphones, about 92 percent of them in fact, those in other age groups are smartphone friendly as well.

In 2010, Nielson predicted that smartphones would overtake “feature phones” by 2011. And now three out of four people?

And half of the public now has a tablet too, says the Pew Research Center.

What does this mean? Well, it’s likely America’s shift to a new president is largely being consumed via a portable and flat device. (And of course, we love those here at In & Out Smart Repair.) People can stream the accompanying ceremonies on most major news channels, and they no doubt are commenting and hashtagging, sharing screenshots and polls, and letting the world know exactly what they think, whether we, the world, want to know or not.

Others will use that same pocketed friend to shut out the noise. They’ll play music, Snapchat the fact that they indeed are not watching the activities or allow Candy Crush to take them away. They’ll avoid the cafeteria and all those who will definitely talk about the news of the day, whether they are happy with the festivities or just want to get them over with. And they’ll pretend to take a call from their “vibrating” phones to avoid conversation about anything political.  

Whatever you plan to do as the baton is passed, can you imagine doing that without your smartphone? Keep it safe, but if you drop it in your rush to escape the noise or your excitement in celebration (even if you’re excited it’s finished), know that you have another friend in In & Out Smart Repair. We’ll get you back up and running so you can use your device to see the world again…or tune it out.