A recent article in TechNewsDaily reported on a Stanford University study that looked into how iPhone users feel about their iPhones. The results of this study are interesting indeed, but probably not surprising to those who own an iPhone. According to the data, iPhone owners feel a heightened sense of attachment to their iPhone. The attachment is so intense, in fact, that the article characterizes the attachment as addiction. While those in the medical and psychological communities would likely dispute this notion, the point of the strong language is to illustrate the strong dependence that iPhone users have on their smart phones.
To begin with, it should be pointed out that the idea of being addicted to an iPhone is not intended to carry negative connotations. Even those who believe that the iPhone addiction qualifies as a genuine medical condition are hesitant to say that it is squarely unhealthy. And this alone distinguishes a so-called iPhone addiction from other types of addictions. It seems that an iPhone addiction amounts to nothing more than spending a lot of time with the device, and feeling strongly about its potential to produce personal rewards. And when we consider all that the iPhone offers to consumers, it is really no surprise that they feel so strongly about Apple’s iPhone.
The survey data revealed that most iPhone owners relied on their iPhone for a host of purposes. Granted, the iPhone serves its basic function of providing telephone service well, but its functionality in no way ceases there. The majority of students surveyed reported that they relied on their iPhone to serve as their watch and alarm clock. This alone means that the majority of the participants in the survey spent close to 24 hours a day within arm’s reach of their iPhones. Here again, this is not necessarily a bad thing; rather it indicates just how indispensible people find their iPhones.
Unlike other types of addictions, the survey indicates that most people are aware of their dependence on the iPhone, and readily admit it. There doesn’t appear to be any denial of the relationship between owner and iPhone, and in fact, the relationship could be described as proud. Ten percent of the participants in the study admitted complete addiction to their iPhone, and only a small handful claimed to have no dependence on their phone. Compared to other addictions, which are characterized by denial, the phenomenon of dependence on an iPhone appears quite harmless.
The bottom line is that iPhone dependence is clearly a function of the iPhone’s broad utility. People become attached to things that improve their lives. Most Americans, for instance, are highly reliant on their car, but that is not characterized as an addiction. Similarly, we all need our homes, but we never hear about hopeless home addicts. So while iPhone users will probably continue to rely heavily on their iPhones, we shouldn’t expect to see any iPhone rehabilitation centers popping up any time soon. The iPhone provides consumers with a ready platform to simplify their lives. This will continue to attract new consumers, and retain existing iPhone owners.
