Mundane Mobile Maintenance, Entrapment, and Hyper-Coordination

Introduction

The global adoption of mobile devices has outpaced that of previous technologies and the use of mobile devices will likely continue to increase into the future. Mobile phones are cheaper than earlier technologies like computers, while having the added benefit of being more portable and more accessible. As technology has and continues to progress toward greater digital connectivity and versatility, one of the most critical functions of mobile phones is social connection (Katz & Aakhus, 2002). Although Europeans more quickly adopted short messaging services, or text messages, compared to Americans in the early 2000s due to pricing differences (Ling, 2004), the rise of mobile technology in America has been swift and transformative. Between 2006 and 2008 the number of text messages sent by Americans increased by 450% (Nielsenwire, 2008), and continued to increase through 2010 (Pew Internet, 2010). According to the most recent statistics, 90% of Americans have a cell phone and 58% have a smartphone (Pew Internet, 2014). The addition of each technological function, from voice calls to text messages, and from email services (like Blackberry) to Facebook and Twitter, creates new opportunities for social connectivity. New smart phone applications such as Snapchat and Tinder provide previously unimagined ways to connect socially with friends and strangers alike. The social purposes of mobile technologies are not soon to abate or retreat, but rather are likely to become broader and more entrenched into users’ daily lives as more applications and functions become available.

Some have argued that mobile technologies inextricably direct users toward social connectivity, often referred to as “perpetual contact” (Katz & Aakhus, 2002). Indeed, a recent Pew Internet (2014) report states that “67% of cell owners find themselves checking their phone for messages, alerts, or calls — even when they don’t notice their phone ringing or vibrating,” and “44% of cell owners have slept with their phone next to their bed because they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss any calls, text messages, or other updates during the night.” Rather than focus on the use of mobile technologies for instrumental or informational purposes, the focus of this chapter is on the social and relational consequences of this perpetual contact.