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17% of people in the US use their smartphone as their only portal to the internet [1]. Is your argument that as long as they can go use a computer at a library
by enragedcacti 6y ago
17% of people in the US use their smartphone as their only portal to the internet [1]. Is your argument that as long as they can go use a computer at a library that their smartphone is a luxury item? Access to the internet (or someone to access it for you) is basically a prerequisite for existing in modern society and phones are how people choose to do it most of the time.
This like saying "hey, if you don't like buying from standard oil, just get a horse!" when 1) you might already have a car, 2) you can't afford a horse on top of that, and 3) society has restructured itself such that a horse is not even viable in your day-to-day life.
[1] https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/06/17/pew-smartphone-only-internet-use/ https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/06/17/pew-smartphone-only...
- parasubvert 6y agoIt is an incredible lack of imagination to think we are at the end of history on mobile device OSes and thus they should become utilities. Oil is a natural resource. This is software that didn’t exist 12 years ago.
- enragedcacti 6y agoWe aren't really talking about OSes though, we are talking about software distribution. No one is trying to force Apple to let other phone manufacturers use iOS or force them to open source it. Is advertising and hosting software so novel that it doesn't deserve any scrutiny?
- pjmlp 6y agoUsually if one cannot afford a car, there are bicycles, motorbikes, horses and wonder public transport to choose from. Just like there are plenty of Internet capable smartphones that aren't made by Apple.
- pb7 6y agoInteresting how it was decided that the most luxurious manufacturer is the standard for accessing the internet. Like requiring driving a Ferrari to flip burgers at McDonald’s.