Has there been a more successful invention than the smartphone? Or will there ever be? The first smartphone — the Apple iPhone — was launched back in 2007 to much fanfare, and since then has revolutionized basically every aspect of modern life. If you ever doubt how much of an impact it has had, just try putting yours to one side for more than a few hours.
The 91% of adults who have a smartphone use it for communication, navigation, banking, shopping, and, perhaps most of all, for entertainment purposes. Indeed, it’s the entertainment qualities of the smartphone that have arguably helped to make it such an ubiquitous part of modern life (since, well, who doesn’t like being entertained?).
In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at just why your smartphone could well be the only entertainment device that you’ll ever need. After all, as you’ll see, there’s virtually nothing that it can’t offer.
You Can Listen to Virtually Every Song Ever Recorded
If you’re old enough to remember, then cast your mind back to the pre-smartphone era. If you wanted to listen to a song, then you’d have to:
- Buy the CD
- Buy the track
- Risk an illegal download.
Whatever option you chose, you wouldn’t say that you were in a position to listen to every song ever recorded easily. But with your smartphone? You absolutely can. On Apple Music, Tidal, and other streaming platforms, you have easy access to pretty much every song ever made. We tend to take it for granted, but it’s pretty remarkable.
You Can Listen to Podcasts
The internet put an end to some beloved aspects of life, such as talk radio (or radio in general), but it also opened up new yet similar ways of being entertained.
Take podcasts, for example. If you’re looking for an easy and accessible way to learn something new, laugh, or simply take a deep dive into today’s main topics, then there’s no better strategy than listening to a podcast. What’s even more incredible is that you can listen to these podcasts entirely free of charge. The next time you’re making dinner, load up one of the leading podcasts and see what it has to offer — we’re sure you won’t be disappointed!
You Can Play Innovative Games
Smartphone games have been around pretty much since the beginning, but in truth, they weren’t all that good way back in the early days. Today, though? The mobile gaming market is thriving, and that’s led to the creation of many outstanding titles that, while not as advanced as console games, are definitely catching up.
What’s good about mobile games is that you don’t need any special hardware (such as a games console) to play them. Plus, many of them are free (or cheap), allowing you to test the waters before you commit to becoming a paying player.
And Play Classic Games Too
Prefer classic games to modern titles? Then fear not — your smartphone has you covered. The internet in general has been brilliant for those classic games of yesteryear, which have been given a new lease of life and become accessible to a whole new generation.
In the past, anyone wishing to play classic games would have to organize a game with others. Today, you can easily play poker, chess, bridge, and blackjack online, directly within your mobile browser. What’s more, these games are available completely free of charge, and also typically offer the option to play against the computer, a stranger online, or one of your friends.
Even if you also choose to play these games in person, having the option to play online makes it much easier to improve your skills, since, as they say, practice makes perfect — and with the games so easily accessible, you’re able to practice as much as you like.
You Can Watch Movies/TV Shows On The Move
In the past, if you wanted to watch a movie or TV show, you’d have to make sure that you were sitting down as it was about to start, or had a VHS/DVD copy available. Today, you can just take out your smartphone.
Of all the ways that the smartphone has changed the entertainment world, there’s arguably none that has been quite as transformative as the impact that it’s had on how we consume movies and television. Today, with little more than your device, an internet connection, and a subscription to a streaming service, you can watch videos whenever, wherever you want. Even things like watching sporting matches on the move have become possible thanks to the smartphone, and that’s something that would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago.
You Can Virtually Travel the World
There’s nothing better than going on a fun travel adventure, but alas, that’s not always possible. Your smartphone, however, does offer a pretty good alternative to traveling when you can’t hit the road. There are plenty of ways to use your device to virtually travel the world, including exploring via street view within the Google Maps app, virtually visiting museums and other attractions, or even using virtual reality apps to experience a destination in an immersive way, right from the comfort of your own home.
You Can Read e-Books
Interested in a topic, and want to learn by reading a book about it? Or perhaps one of your friends has just finished reading a title, and they assure you that you’ll love it. Well, with your smartphone, you can quickly and easily begin reading. In fact, in some cases, the time between hearing about a book and reading the first page can be as little as a few minutes. This is especially great when you’re traveling and you find yourself unexpectedly with a lot of time on your hands — so long as you have an international data plan or WiFi, you’ll be able to download that book onto your phone and turn what might have been a boring experience into one that you genuinely enjoy, and it’s all thanks to the power of your smartphone.
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