According to the Labor Department, household spending on vehicles, apparel, entertainment, and eating out decreased between 2007 and 2011. Telephone services, largely fueled by the growth of “smart phones” and higher priced data plans have increased during the same period by over 10%.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, almost nine of every ten U.S. adults has a cellphone. Analysts at UBS AG estimated wireless carriers brought in $22 billion in 2007 for services such as email and web browsing. This number is expected to rise to $50 billion per year by 2017.
As wireless network speeds increase, demand for richer data delivery plans follows closely. From the painful days of sitting at home dialing into a 56K modem we have moved into wireless data transfers with amazing bandwidth. It is no longer unusual to watch television shows or sporting events right on the screen of a smartphone.
Despite the cost associated with data plans that allow for unlimited usage for games or video capture, this revolution has brought significant efficiencies to mainstream America. Pay a bill online, check your bank balance, use satellite technology to find your way using GPS for phones, or even download presentations for work that you left behind at the office.
At BlueSky we have found that many workers in the healthcare industry like to check on their schedules, confirm shifts, and monitor hours worked via their own smart phone applications. This time management piece coupled with phone-assisted time and attendance recording will be one of the next major efficiencies realized from the smart phone explosion.
