As IF Times

Source: Apple suffers embarrassing demo Face ID fail at iPhone X launch 

Without question, over the past decade, the smart phone has been the most influential product in the world eclipsing the personal computer, disposable diapers and likely the wheel for the number one spot.  An article was written years ago making light of the influence of phones, but in modern communities everywhere, smart phones and Iphones in particular, have achieved a must have status in society on the plane of Starbucks and bottled water.  Phones have attained the status of social jewelry.  Girls don’t compare rings, they compare phone versions.

From starting off as a mere convenience, smart phones have become an absolute necessity for most people.  We’ve all heard anecdotal stories of people suffering genuine panic at the thought of losing their phones and not only because they’re worth the cost of a few car payments.  These days, who doesn’t have their entire life story embedded in their phones, from pictures and videos to chat sites links, contact lists and passwords to various consumer sites?

People have undeniably become addicted to phone usage and this addiction has given rise to the popularity of social media companies that otherwise have no value.  Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram etc etc, all social equivalents of crack cocaine for the insatiable appetites of the Look At Me crowd.  You would think that having access to what everyone else is doing or thinking would be a boon to society.  I can argue that it is not.  Rather than expanding thought and knowledge, instead people have become more tribal as they divide themselves into camps of thought that align with their particular worldview and this is reinforced by others similarly opined, resulting in an echo chamber vortex.

As we’ve touched on before, anyone can create a sympathetic following for an issue, no matter how inane, just by virtue of being fleetingly famous.  Regardless of how inarticulate or erroneous a position may be, it can still draw in like-minded supporters as if they were Charles Manson devotees.  For a more comprehensive view of this phenomenon, read the classic work by Charles Mackay, “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness Of Crowds.  Make no mistake, this is all crowd behavior.

Apple Phones have been the conduit of choice (mostly) for this tribal narcissism and on almost a yearly basis, the faithful line up for hours in fervid anticipation of the release of the newest iteration of the holy tool.  Recently, for the first time ever, the newest release, labeled X, has failed to generate the must have hysteria that accompanied every other iteration.

Maybe the product fails to offer new gee whiz features.  Maybe people don’t need to have a new device with only marginally newer features.  Maybe people don’t feel the need to spend four digits on an appliance.  Or maybe people have just decided…it’s only a phone.