Social Construction of Technology: Cell Phone Development

1276 Words3 Pages

The Social Construction of Technology (or SCOT) is a new research tradition rooted in the sociology of technology. SCOT provides a multi-directional model based on the property of interpretative flexibility, and emphasizes on social influences on the technology design and development. This paper will apply SCOT principles to explore the development of cell phone, define the development of cell phone into three different stages historically, and analyze the interpretative flexibility of the cell phone accordingly in the three different stages. Based on SCOT theory, this paper will discuss how the original huge cell phones are shaped and developed by social influences to the smartphones in today’s life. In 1983, Motorola released its first cell phone, known as the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, which offered 30 minutes of talk-time, six hour standby, and could store 30 phone numbers. By that time, cell phones were extremely expensive -- the DynaTAC 8000X costs 3995 dollars, and the cellular network was limited. To analyze the development and interpretative flexibility of the cell phone at its early stage, we must first introduce social groups that were related to the artefact. The users of the artefact were the most important social group. At the time, users were mainly constructed by businessmen, managers, politicians, doctors,big companies, military etc. who had high income and had to remain in contact with others occasionally. For them, the cell phones were the extension of corded phones that helps keeping the communication on without the limit of ranges. Thus, the problems that this social group had with cell phones are rather clear. The cell phones were too big and heavy, the talking time was too short for frequent users, and the nu... ... middle of paper ... ...1fS3NiLAE&sig=n5NJOhab0TTbBoXm MGv7xddRqAU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6-JxUr_oOoqPiAKg8oGYDg&ved=0CHYQ6AEw BA#v=onepage&q=price%20of%20cell%20phone%20in%201980s&f=false Chowdhury. R. Evolution Of Mobile Phones: 1995 - 2012. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/evolution-of-mobile-phones/ MobiThinking. Global mobile statistics 2013 Part A: Mobile subscribers; handset market share; mobile operators. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://mobithinking.com/mobile-marketing-tools/latest-mobile-stats/a#subscribers Poole. I. History of Mobile Phone. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/cellulartelecomms/history/mobile-cell-phone.php UMTS World. History of UMTS and 3G development. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.umtsworld.com/umts/history.htm WorldMapper. Cellular Subscribers 1990. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=333

Show More
Related

  • Our Cell Phones, Our Selves by Christine Rosen

    1761 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the essay “Our Cell Phones, Our Selves” written by Christine Rosen, the author presents a brief history on how cell phones were introduced into society and how this artifact changed people’s interactions in the physical space. Rosen describes the first cell phone that appeared in 1983 as “hardly elegant,” big and expensive (458). Cell phones at that time were mainly used by important and affluent people. However, seven years later, cell phones became smaller and affordable provoking a big change in society. This big technological advance did not only affect the United States, but the entire world.

    Read More

  • Effects of Cell Phones on American Culture

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Technology has advanced at a rapid rate over the past decade. We can now do things on the go, including social networking, shop, check email, not to mention, make a call. As technology develops, electronics get smaller and smaller. Over 10 years ago, cell phones were the size of (if not larger than) cordless house phones. We would only see them being carried by business men or lawyers. Now there are 8 year olds with blackberry’s. Cell phones are a huge part of most of our lives, But what effects have they had on American culture?

    Read More

  • Christine Rosen's 'Our Cell Phones, Ourselves'

    1893 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the article “Our Cell Phones, Ourselves”by Christine Rosen published by W. W. Norton in 2004, she explains about how technology came about and is now taking over today’s world. Just by walking down the street today, it is visible that in everybody’s hands there is a

    Read More

  • Langdon Winner's Article: Upon Opening the Black Box and Finding it Empty: Social Constructivism and the Philosophy of Technology

    1583 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Social Construction of Technology, or Social Constructivism, is a theory introduced by Wiebe Bijker and Trevor Pinch. The theory proposes that the development of technology is an interactive sociotechnical process within relevant social groups (e.g users, producers). As a methodology, social constructivism analyses artefacts in the context of society and explores the dynamics of technological change. According to Pinch and Bijker (1987), social constructivism is “fundamentally a sociological approach towards technology”. This school of research attempts to understand the mechanisms behind different social groups’ interpretations of technological artefacts.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Christine Rosen's 'Our Cell Phones Ourselves'

    1719 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the article entitled, “Our Cell Phones Ourselves”, Christine Rosen describes how cell phones have changed the way we communicate. Rosen tells the readers the main purpose for cell phone use in the past, versus present day. Her purpose is to make society aware of how cell phones have influenced our lives in order to inspire change as to how we view our cell phones. Rosen directs her writing to everyone in the present day by describing the negative results of cell phone use and how it impacts our lives and those around us. Without a doubt, cell phones are going to be a part of our world, but it is the responsibility of every cell phone owner to exercise self control and understand that a cell phone is nothing more than a device.

    Read More

  • Research Persuasive Essay

    1193 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cellphones have become an asset in people's everyday lives. Gone are the days when cellphones are depicted as luxurio...

    Read More

  • Cellular Phones

    1011 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cellular phones carry a diverse group of users. In June 1985, there were about 203,000 cellular phone service subscribers. By June 1989, the number had exploded to 2.7 million subscribers, and by June 1995 there were mire than 26 million subscribers. When cell phones were first introduce, only people with a lot of money had them and the service was very expensive. It was a lot cheaper to stop and use the pay phone than it was to use a cell phone. Now, it is almost as cheap to use a cell phone to make a long distance call as it is to make a long distance call using AT&T.

    Read More

  • Position of Vodafone in International Markets

    2887 Words  | 6 Pages

    Telecommunications gained mainstream attention in the early 90’s; however the initial key market was business men and women, who used their phones whilst being on the move and so allowing them to communicate with their companies with ease. Though in the modern era, telecommunication went through segmentation in the market trends, and now in this day and age it would be difficult to find someone who does not own some form of mobile technology. Many phone providers battle to provide the best service for their customers (Figure 1).

    Read More

  • The Cell Phone Industry

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Cell phone manufacturers and service providers are at the core of the cell phone industry.  These corporations are integral from their research and development endeavors to interactions with the consumer and the marketing of new products.  The companies that control such factors of cellular phones are very numerous, so it is difficult to address all the cell phone manufacturers and service providers.  However, we have focused largely on only the most significant cellular companies namely in the U.S. marketplace, although many have global ties.  Collectively, companies around the world have the same goals in mind – to create desirable cutting-edge technology and to increase consumer satisfaction with hopes of generating sales, and thus profits.

    Read More

  • Cell Phone History - The Evolution of the Cell Phone

    1072 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cell phones have become a part of mainstream culture. Recently they have become more affordable and accomplish much more than making and receiving calls. Along with the growing popularity there is also growing concerns about safety and health. In this paper we will address cell phone history and how they have evolved. We will discuss health concerns such as tumors and talking while driving. Finally, we will talk about all of the technology that cell phones can accomplish such as receiving Email and buying stocks.

    Read More

  • How Has Cell Phones Changed Us Socially?

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    Cell phones are among the most innovative gadgets of the 20th century. Traditionally, people relied on cumbersome methods to transmit information and data over long distance, which usually made the communication process ineffective and slow. The ability to communicate deferred from one society to another and some societies had advantage over others due to their superior methods of communication. It was problematic to send urgent messages due to the lack of reliable and fast techniques of communication. The cell phone invention solved most of these issues. It introduced a platform through which parties could communicate instantaneously regardless of their location or distance. In addition, the cell phone technology is globally accepted hence it is a uniform medium of communication, making it both fast and efficient in any given community. Moreover, cell phones opened up room for more technological in...

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Cell Phones

    1629 Words  | 4 Pages

    The year is 2014, the markets are changing constantly, and they always have to meet the needs of new consumers as well as old consumers. Mobile telephones have been in the retail and wholesale business for quite some time, and are only evolving from here on out. There are things that these cell phones can bring us that are major benefits in our everyday lives. Cell phones bring us maps, radios, address books, and even flashlights now. Cell phones have taken shape from a huge portable device to a more convenient thin device that can fit in your pocket. With time in any consumer market, the consumer adapts to the technology that makes their life easier. The constant innovation of cell phones has led us to smart phones, and these smart phones are capable of putting certain businesses out of the market. Businesses that engineered PDAs in the past were met with challenges because smart phones are able to match their productivity. Land lines have become useless since everyone can afford a mobile device now. Listening to music has also switched from a traditional CD Player/MP3 Player to an everyday smart phone.

    Read More

  • The Impact of Cell Phone Usage on Our Social Life

    1604 Words  | 4 Pages

    Twenty-five years ago, a phone was just a way to contact someone. Mobile phones have become one of the most common tools of communication for both young and old. Cellular devices have redefined relationships and social conduct, and transformed the daily lives of many individuals. Cell phones no longer function just as a communication device. Today it has many other uses.

    Read More

  • The Social Impact of Cell Phones

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    When phones became available to the public they were not considered to be mobile in today’s sense of the word. They were available to have installed in an automobile, they were big and bulky, and they needed and consumed a lot of power to use. The phone networks would only support a few simultaneous conversations. Cell phones since then have made vast improvements in their efficiency, abilities, and size. The first handheld mobile phone wasn’t produce until 1973. The origin...

    Read More

  • Evolution of Smartphones

    1952 Words  | 4 Pages

    Despite the short amount of time since the introduction of the smartphone, the rapid development of the software and technology has had a tremendous effect on the everyday life in society today. The concept of communicating through a telephone was developed in the 1870s. Devices to transmit speech electrically were designed by Elisha Gray and Alexander Graham Bell, but Bell's design was patented first. On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell achieved one of his greatest successes in the making of the telephone. This brought upon a major change in communication and gave leeway to the improvement of the telephone in the days to come (Bellis, 2013b). During the 20th century there were many innovations regarding the telephone. In 1973, the first call from a portable phone was made Martin Cooper, who was a Motorola researcher and executive at the time. Since its inception, the advancement of cell phones has been exponential (Bellis, 2013a). As a result, cell phones have changed how society works in today's world. Many people lack the insight of how cell phones, or in this case, smart phones, affect the people that use them. So the question is, how is the evolution of smart phones impacting our society?

    Read More

More about Social Construction of Technology: Cell Phone Development

Open Document