Smartphones

Among the most important possessions in Korea is a cell phone. Everyone starting from age 3 or 4 has their own set and it is more of a status symbol besides whatever these little - do everything-devices offer.A study done by Electronics and Telecommunications Research Groups (ETRG) suggested that smartphones ownership indicate 'income gaps' and not just that it also indicate 'education gaps'in the apparent use of smartphones. After doing a survey of about 800 people (btw. age 15-49) they suggested that people with higher education are more likely to use the smartphones....this was interesting!My personal opinion is the choice of games one can play on it - here, these computer games are huge and hence, these phones have made life much easier.

I read in Korea Times that Samsung will triple its sale of Smartphone - Galaxy series of Android handsets to 60 million handsets in 2011 from 20 million in 2010 and just 0.9% in 2008. Samsung is the world’s second-largest mobile-phone manufacturer behind Nokia, but has been struggling to compete with Apple in consumer smartphones. However, with Google’s Android mobile platform beginning to duplicate Apple’s strength in operating systems and applications, Samsung is now a leading provider of Android devices. An interesting article by daum is here.



Samsung’s flagship product in smartphones is the Galaxy S, an Android device it managed to sell more than 10 million since its launch in June next year, with more than half of the sales coming from North America and Europe.The company also markets handsets that run on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile. Samsung also sold more than 1.5 million of its Galaxy Tab tablets to become virtually the only company to provide competition to the Apple iPad.

SMARTPHONES IMPACT IN OUR LIVES

Koreans enjoy the benefits of the go-anywhere Internet services offered by smartphones with more than 10 million people(24% of the entire population) using the high-tech gadgets here in Korea. A very interesting article can be read here.
For Korean citizens the package to own these phone is again - long term contracts.
What I noticed and learned from fellow students was quite interesting. Why almost everyone has a smartphone? Reason is simple...telecom companies which are SK, LG and KT..have an offer: a foreign student who will sign a contract for 2 years they will get a free phone, all they have to do is to pay about 30$(USD) a month! Another interesting fact I found out was: if a student is fluent enough in Korean to convince the dealer they can get these phone for even one year with almost same benefits.[Requirement for having a cell phone include: minimum 6 months visa BUT there are more ways than one to own a cell phone...such as having have a trusted Korean friend would land you with a phone. Koreans can register more than one phone on their names whereas foreigners can only own a "single phone" on their ID card verification etc.]

NOW QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHO IS SMART?

All this comes down to the who is smart?? The phone, the companies or the customer? Is it a win-win strategy to own a smartphone, a zero sum game??

I would say that all this makes customer less smarter. Personally, I have made up to a month of call/text messages for just 10 dollars(USD). I really would NOT like to pay extra 20$ each month - on top, I have a landline phone...so, having have a smartphone is not too smart a deal for me!


Having said all this: I must say that when I got lost in Sweden....and when I asked from people for some pointers to find my way...they took out their smartphhones....and told me exactly where and how should I go....at that moment, I was not only thankful to the people in Sweden but to all those who developed "Smartpones" - they are too damn smart!!!


An ad. in the Newspaper ( 메일경제)