The release of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus this September was greeted with open arms and a touch of chaos. People queued for four days just to be one of the first people in the world to get their hands on these gadgets, paying up to £800 for the privilege. People go to extraordinary lengths to get these phones and there is a sense of urgency across the world to have the latest Apple products.
But a phone, nowadays, is no longer just a practical device, used to text and call. It has become a testimony of status, a fashion accessory, and so much more than a telephone. Children as young as five years old have been seen in Britain carrying round expensive mobile phones and for what reason? Who can a 5-year-old possibly need to text or call?
The answer lies in the fact that the primary use for mobile phones is no longer a phone. More photos are taken using iPhones than any camera in the world. Apps allow us to track our health, our pets, play games, find dates, shop, budget … the list is endless, and features the innovative, the weird and the wonderful.
As an iPhone user myself, I am never without my phone. I check Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and my emails several times a day, along with taking photographs and keeping in touch with friends and family.
But do we rely on our phones too much? I love sharing things that I enjoy and keeping up with my friends' lives, but I do think it's got out of hand. Instead of talking together, friends sit round tables in restaurants scrolling through Facebook, and we are more interested in Instagramming photos of special moments than actually enjoying them.
I think it's important to make time for each other. Turn off your phone every now and again. One tip when you go out with friends is to put all of your phones in the middle of the table, and whoever touches their phone first has to pay the bill! Trust me, it won't ruin your life if you don't see what that guy you once met is eating for dinner!
Sharing and keeping in touch is great, but don't let your phone become more important than the people in your life.
Could you live without your phone?
