The Global Smartphone: Beyond a Youth Technology (1st)

The smartphoneis often literally right in front of our nose, so you would think we would knowwhat it is. But do we? To find out, 11 anthropologists each spent 16 monthsliving in communities in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, focusing on thetake up of smartphones by older people. Their research reveals that smartphonesare technology for everyone, not just for the young.

The Global Smartphone presents a series of original perspectives deriving from thisglobal and comparative research project. Smartphones have become as much aplace within which we live as a device we use to provide 'perpetualopportunism', as they are always with us. The authors show how the smartphoneis more than an 'app device' and explore differences between what people sayabout smartphones and how they use them.

The smartphoneis unprecedented in the degree to which we can transform it. As a result, itquickly assimilates personal values. In order to comprehend it, we must takeinto consideration a range of national and cultural nuances, such as visualcommunication in China and Japan, mobile money in Cameroon and Uganda, and accessto health information in Chile and Ireland - all alongside diverse trajectoriesof ageing in Al Quds, Brazil and Italy. Only then can we know what a smartphoneis and understand its consequences for people's lives around the world.

Praise for The Global Smartphone

'Interesting ethnographic insights into the use of the smartphone.'
European Journal of Communication