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       #Post#: 76--------------------------------------------------
       iPhone: Man’s New Best Friend
       By: mkrishna Date: October 25, 2012, 10:57 pm
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       iPhone: Man’s New Best Friend
       Meenakshi Krishna ’13
       “Buzz! Buzz!” It is seven in the morning, and Bob’s iPhone alarm
       wakes him up. Sleepy-eyed, rubbing his eyes with his right hand,
       and firmly grasping his iPhone in the other, Bob drags himself
       to the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet seat, Bob reads the
       latest news on his New York Times App. As Bob brushes his teeth,
       he checks the Weather Channel App on his iPhone and sees that it
       will be partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain.
       The iPhone! Bob’s new best friend! Surely, many can identify
       with Bob. While working out in the gym, jogging in the park,
       riding the bus to school, waiting to catch a flight, shopping in
       a mall, sitting in a restaurant, or during any other possible
       activity, one must have spotted a “Bob.”
       In a study conducted at Stanford University, nearly half of the
       people surveyed shared that they were “very or completely
       addicted” to their iPhones. Okay, this is not that surprising.
       In some findings, however, three percent of the respondents
       shared that they don’t let anyone else touch their iPhones
       (Duboff).
       When the iPhone was initially introduced in the global market
       five years ago, the Wall Street Journal claimed that iPhones had
       "The largest and most beautiful screen ever seen on a cellphone"
       (Graham).  When "the most eagerly awaited consumer technology
       device of the last 20 years" first came out, many enthusiasts
       marked their calendars as iDay (Graham). Some even believe that
       in the next ten years, along with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day,
       and Valentine’s Day, iDay will become a nationally celebrated
       holiday!
       But what exactly will we be celebrating on iDay? The iPhone
       makes many tasks such as finding directions, locating stores, or
       ordering food easier. However, according to a study features in
       the New York Times, technology creates a void. This is because
       technology takes us away from reality, and it creates a false
       sense of satisfaction and complacency. Once the technology is
       gone, those feelings of fulfillment disappear.
       This sounds a lot like the withdrawal syndrome experienced by
       many alcoholics and drug addicts. Some preliminary scientific
       studies show evidence that iPhone users may be addicted to their
       iPhones.  In a study conducted by MindSign Neuromarketing, it
       was seen that when subjects were exposed to sounds of iPhones,
       they “saw” the iPhones as well. In studies using functional
       magnetic resonance imaging, the same regions of their brains lit
       up when images of iPhones were shown than when images of
       spiritual leaders, family members, and religious figures were
       shown.
       Some share that they have separation anxiety when they
       accidentally leave their phones at home. They feel nervous. They
       feel lost. Researcher, Martin Lindstrom has coined the term
       “phantom vibration syndrome” to describe the habit of constantly
       checking a phone to see if there are any new messages. He claims
       that when we receive messages on out iPhones, dopamine, a
       neurotransmitter that evokes feelings of happiness, is released.
       Therefore, in order to experience these feelings of happiness,
       we go back to the phone over and over again.
       And who exactly is benefitting the most from this addiction to
       iPhones? Apple.
       Apple’s quarterly earnings have more than doubled to $13.06
       billion in the past year because of the iPhone (Cheng). Because
       of the constant upgrade cycle of iPhones and the subsidies that
       must be paid in order to sell iPhones, carries do not benefit
       economically. In fact, carriers are in a dilemma.  With the
       trend of iPhones rapidly spreading, carriers cannot sustain
       without selling iPhones. However, at the same time, carriers
       make no net profit from selling iPhones.
       With the release of the iPhone 5, it will be interesting to see
       if this trend persists.
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