U.K. carrier O2 decided to survey its users to determine which devices iPhones or other smartphones commonly replace in the lives of its customers. The most commonly replaced device turned out to be one of the more low-tech devices in daily life – the alarm clock.
54% of O2’s iPhone and smartphone customers have relegated their alarm clocks to the dustbin of history.
The second most commonly replaced device was also a time-keeping device: the watch.
On the one hand, the results for the watch don’t seem too surprising. In fact, the most surprising thing to me is that only 46% of users said their phone had replaced their watch.
The last time I wore a watch on a daily basis was a decade ago and the only reason I wore one then was because it was a gift from someone I was dating at the time. Mobile phones began replacing watches well before the advent of the smartphone or the iPhone. That said, there’s a certain irony to the fact that the current iPod nano has reintroduced the wristwatch to some extent.
An iPhone replacing the alarm clock isn’t too surprising, either.
After all, an iPhone gives you a choice of ring tones, which are often much more appealing than the harsh buzz you get from most alarm clocks. An iPhone also gives you the ability to easily set multiple alarms, which is useful if you’re like me and tend to hit the snooze button a few too many times each morning. Having a second alarm with a different ringtone that signifies you really need to get up can be very effective.
What was a bit surprising was the number of O2’s customers who said that a smartphone had replaced their need for a laptop. While the iPad is typically cited with stealing notebook market share, O2 noted that 28% of its smartphone customers felt that their phone had done away with the need for a laptop.
Source: Network World
Image: Instructables
