All the Things Your Smartphone Has Made Obsolete

In the very first line we are going to go so far as to say that the smartphone just might be the most important invention of the 21^st century – we know, there’s still a long way to go, but we don’t see anything that will match its innovation and mass popularity.

Since the very first iPhone in 2007, smartphones have become a part of our everyday lives and have changed the way we see our average phone. No more was making calls and texting enough, we want our phones to be able to capture precious moments in life, give us directions or any other info we request, play music, and above all – we want them to have Angry Birds.

We don’t notice it, but smartphones are little all-purpose computers that have made many household items obsolete, such as:

1. Alarm Clocks, Watches, and Timers

Why would anyone want to wake up to that irritating buzzing sound of an old alarm clock when you can be brought from slumber with your favorite song playing? Be aware, however, if you’re not a morning person your favorite song may become your least favorite tune in no time.

Ironically, every major smartphone producer is making smart watches as well, even though phones are the ones that made carrying watches unnecessary. When we need to know what time it is, we don’t look at our wrists anymore, we just pull out our phone…and when we’re at it, we also check our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

2. Cameras

This is something that has been improving in mobile phones for years and now, we are finally in the position to completely rule out traditional cameras. Shareability is something that is unmatched in smartphones and one minute you could be taking selfies and the other you’re posting them online. This is something most traditional cameras aren’t able to do and it’s the reason why they are losing the battle.

Fun trivia: The 2015 Sundance Film Festival featured an indie movie shot only on an iPhone 5.

3. Flashlights

How many times did you wish you had a flashlight on you? There must have been some occasion when you did. But how many times did you really have a flashlight? Probably never. This is why we were delighted when we discovered that there’s a little app that will turn on the flash on the back of our phone.

No longer will we struggle with opening our front door in the dark – we can just pull out our phone to help us with that “sensitive procedure” of putting the key in the lock.

4. Maps and GPS Devices

With smartphones, even GPS devices seem pretty obsolete. Not to mention paper maps – those were almost impossible to fold back up. With smartphones you can just say “How do I get to Tanzania?” and you will get directions…even though you might need to swim there. The world is your oyster with a smartphone, so use it wisely.

5. Hailing Cabs, Reading Your Favorite Magazine, Paying Bills at the Bank…

And any other feature possible thanks to various downloadable apps and services.

6.   MP3 Players, iPods, and Radios
With modern services, such as Spotify and other streaming apps, why would you want to limit yourself to the music you have uploaded onto a portable hard drive?
You wouldn’t want to and that is the reason why all the iPods in the world aren’t worth anything now. In the past, phones could reproduce music stored in their internal memory, but in recent years they have surpassed being just a player and are now our ticket to almost every song ever recorded.

7.   Large Fees on Long Distance Calls
With Viber, Skype, WhatsApp, and other such messaging apps there’s no reason why you should pay large fees for long distance calls or texts. These apps run on data, and as almost everyone has a working Wi-Fi connection, you don’t have to worry about the duration of your calls anymore.

8.   Paper Checks
Mobile payment apps to the rescue! They make paper checks look like it’s 1963, but if you really want to deal with paper that much, know that it’s easier to deposit checks with the help of a smartphone. Most banks have their own app which allows you to simply take a picture of the check, and it will magically appear on your account.
That’s it, banks don’t need offices any more, just give us an app for everything!