Cost
Arguably the biggest disadvantage of a smartphone is its cost compared to standard mobile phones. A smartphone costs considerably more up front -- on the order of a few hundred dollars, versus less than about a third of that cost for a standard phone. Smartphones also require expensive data plans, which most standard phones do not, making your monthly bill significantly more expensive.
Security
Smartphones are able to access the Internet, either through Wi-Fi or a data package. But data security is an issue. The apps you download and the passwords that you input into these apps and websites while on-the-go are often not secure, at least in terms of account privacy. This means that Internet access on an insecure network puts you at risk of identity theft and hacked accounts. That's why you should completely log out of apps and websites after you're done with a session. For the sake of convenience, many smartphone owners don't do so, however, leaving their data vulnerable to hacking.
Distraction
Smartphones are distractors, which potentially decrease worker productivity and keep consumers off-task. With a device that fits into your pocket and is able to accomplish so much, it's only natural that you're constantly checking email, sports scores, text messages, Facebook and browsing the Web. This cuts into time spent focused on business projects. Additionally, smartphone users often play on the devices during business meetings and seminars, rather than focus on the presentations.
Typing
Smartphones have built-in and built-on keyboards (for touch screen interfaces) for things like typing emails, notes and websites. But the keyboard is significantly smaller on the smartphone interface than it is on a computer and characters are packed closely together, all of which limits how fast you can type. What's more is that you're often only typing with a single hand, as one hand needs to support the phone, which can lead to stress and overuse injuries in your typing hand. Additionally, you have to access different versions of the keyboard for special characters and numerals, which also impedes the speed of your typing.
Small Screen Size
Smartphone screens generally measure just a few inches wide and in length. Accessing websites and email from small screens involves extensive scrolling to view all the information, and may be difficult for those with poor eyesight.
Awkward Keyboard Size
Alphanumeric keys are smaller and closer together on a smartphone than they are on a full-size keyboard, which can be problematic for those with larger hands. Some smart phones have QWERTY keyboards, which are meant to mimic traditional computer keyboards. Still, it is not possible to type on the keyboard as fast as you can type on a full-size keyboard consdering one hand is generally used to hold the smartphone.
Work-Life Balance
The small size, light-weight factor and portability of smartphones allow them to be carried at all times, which makes it difficult for some people to designate a clear delineation between work life and home life. Frequent checking of email and internet applications takes time and attention away from interpersonal relationships.
Overall:
Having a smartphone seems to be the trend of the future of wireless communication. As with all new technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages to having one, both in and outside of the workplace. Overall smartphones seem to have more benefits than risks and this has been proven by their rise in popularity and increasing saturation of the consumer market in recent years.
There are numerous advantages to having a smartphone in and outside of the workplace. Increased connectivity is a major advantage of owning a smartphone, allowing for immediate access to data online, whether one is at home, travelling, or at work. Users today can use their phones to order movie tickets, find restaurants, and even pay bills from the phone’s web browser. These phones also integrate contact information, which makes keeping in touch with friends, family, and coworkers much easier. For the workplace specifically, they are useful for storing all business contacts. Since many companies now require the employees to travel or be in constant reach, smartphones make managing information on the go much easier and they can do much more than the standard cell phone. They require no additional carrying burden because most people carry cell phones anyway. Smartphones also decrease the number of technological devices that professionals like businessmen and doctors need to carry. It was not that long ago that we would see businessmen carrying, a cell phone, a palm pilot, and a pager and now thanks to technological advances the excessiveness is passé. The many applications offered for smartphones allow users to customize their phones with tools that they will use, which have a greater range than the few preloaded applications that come on traditional cell phones. These applications contribute to the better entertainment for even the times when users are waiting in line at stores.
Though few, users have still found some disadvantages to having a smartphone for use at home or on the job. One of the main concerns that people have over smartphones is that they are typically expensive to own because most of these phones require purchasing wireless data plans. Another large concern about these phones is that they contain typically large amounts of private and work-related data that if the phone is lost or stolen, then it is a liability for hacking and identity fraud. If smartphones break, then it is costly because so much information is stored on them and the phones themselves are expensive. This is very easy to do because most of these phones are very fragile and have glass screens, so precautions must be taken to protect them. With all the applications and entertainment options, it would be really easy for users to get distracted at work. When comparing smartphones to office computers, smartphones have very limited memory storage space and they are not efficient to use for typing long reports on the small keyboards. The resolution of photos from a smartphone cannot replace that of a regular camera and most of these phones do not come equipped with a flash for taking pictures at night. Also, older people might not understand the new technology and the small screens can be difficult to use for email and other advanced functions for people with bad eyesight.
Overall, the smartphone can benefit in both the workplace and at home. This phone technology allows users to stay connected to all their contacts and data no matter where they go, which is beneficial to all those people who benefit from convenience. Smartphones help keep people’s lives organized with their linked calendars and planners courtesy of their advanced operating systems, which also cut down on the amount of physical organizers that users have to carry around. Immediate access to information in any emergency is one of the main benefits to owning a smartphone. For example, if someone is lost driving somewhere, then smartphone users can just use their GPS to help them find their way. This modern technology is only predicted to advance with time and with all the more that smartphones can accomplish, the fewer disadvantages they will have. For now, we can see that these phones are fulfilling their mission to increase efficiency in people’s lives.
