The phone part of phones on the way down?

[FAST6191]

Afraid I will have to open with the "I'm one of the cool ones that avoids having a mobile phone" bit. However I am looking at its fallen brother in TV cable cutters and seeing some parallels.

To that end how many really still care about the phone part of the mobile phone? I am pretty sure data has more or less done in SMS/"texting" and instead replaced it with email, IM or something tied more to the mobile number but still data. Not sure exactly what killed picture messaging (might have Apple hosing it up and doing it in like they helped do Flash in, might have been the rise of social stuff and data, might have just been email...) but I am pretty sure it is only there for the less technically capable.

Possible answer being anticipated, "Yes I care as I no longer have a landline.".

Is it kind of similar to a disc burner/reader in "Some legacy stuff it can be months between uses."?

Does "the phone has replaced my computing device that I use when sitting in front of the TV." ring true for you?

Apologies to those that wished to rant about the actual mic/speaker/phone call quality part having dropped a bit with the race to smaller form factors. I believe there are still some options in some of the more durable phones (aimed at building and construction types mainly) that do well here.

 

[yusuo]

The basic functionality still serves its purpose but yes for minor communication uses data has replaced a great deal of what we we're originally intended to use a phone for. Picture messaging has been replaced with quick upload speeds and Facebook. The ability to share that one picture with everyone instead of just one individual has proved to be more invaluable than MMS was supposed to be.

But to answer your rant the device itself still serves its purpose, just there are other options now. I still prefer to ring someone, sometimes just because, for instance the subject matter at hand could take 20-30 mins to explain via text, whereas it could quite easily be resolved within minutes via voice.

Anyway I know my reply doesn't make a whole lot of sense, still very tired here, brain hasn't woke up yet, gimme some credit for formulating an opinion this early

 

[Sicklyboy]

I still have a landline at home (live with my mom), though when I move out that will likely not be the case.

I have an android smartphone, yes call functionality is important but so are other things. The phone makes calls. The phone sends and receives SMS/MMS messages. Those are important. However it does also run apps, and I use it quite heavily for streaming my music, occasionally for video streaming, and social networking and web browsing. Yes, it has the capability to run games, but I don't honestly really like gaming on Android. Just doesn't feel right to me. And pictures. The camera is kind of meh. But this is also a two year old phone.

 

[FAST6191]

I do not know if I would classify that as a rant, it was more of an observation that I was not sure about the accuracy of. Thinking about it though most people see doing this have a lot of international calls and the like to deal with so that might be why they made the push towards data based stuff and along the way found they no longer needed phone functionality.

 

[frogboy]

I get the most use out of my iPhone making calls and listening to music. That's about it. I have unlimited messaging... but I have no need for it.

 

[pwsincd]

my phone part of my phone is essential for work , however i can see that eventaully we will move to voip more and more .Negating the phone part of the phone technically.

 

[FAST6191]

You say that pwsincd but I manage being self employed as repair/install stuff for repeat and new clients. However it might well be the difference between manage and thrive (not that I put great efforts into thriving).

 

[pwsincd]

i have to make regular calls to housing tennents , from all walks of life , grannies etc... the majority dont know wtf a text is .. so the phone in certain walks of life is crucial.. but i can see your phone being a voip device solely in the future .. the more 4g and i guess the next gen take hold.