The U.S. has caught up with Western Europe with Mobile Phones
It was a familiar refrain: The U.S., the birthplace of the Internet, was a wireless backwater. Even early in this decade, many viewed the U.S. as a developing market, fit mostly for hand-me-downs from the more advanced Europeans and Asians. Unlike unified Europe, the U.S. market was fractured by warring radio standards and dotted with dead zones. Long after cellular was a way of life elsewhere, Americans still carried beepers and left messages saying to call cell phones only in emergencies. America was to be pitied, and the competitive upshot was huge: The next great innovations in wireless, including the mobile Internet, were likely to arrive from outside the U.S…. entire story available at:
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2008/tc2008098_351549.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_top+story
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Technology has come a long way and is continually changing and improving. The article mentions that the U.S. has finally caught up or even surpass European countries in wireless technology through the backings of companies like Google and Apple who have dedicated mass resources to research and development. Although companies have played a big role, I believe the consumers are the driving factor. Consumers are willing to pay for premium services found in smart phones such as the iPhone and don’t think twice about it. It also helps that technology has become much cheaper to produce, make, and purchase.
daniellee2 - September 21, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I have always thought that the US had more people using cell phones then all other countries. It was shocking to realize that this is not true. It is funny because I always see people on their cell phones. I have never been overseas but I can’t imagine seeing all those people on their cell phones. Now a day kids are always on the smartphones or the new blackberrys. I feel that this has a lot to do with the surge of American cell phone service.
joshwilliams11 - September 22, 2008 at 9:08 pm