In today’s mobile world, 91 percent of smartphone users have easy access to their phone 100 percent of the time (I know I am firmly in that camp!). Smartphones have truly arrived, whether you are an Android user, an iPhone user (that’s me) or even one of the more exotic breeds (Firefox OS, Ubuntu). We now have devibmices in the palm of our hands that are as powerful as the fastest laptops from a few years ago, with always-on data, a decent camera with the ability to take HD video, GPS geolocation, accelerometer and more. This has, inevitably, led to some traditional services heading on the road to redundancy. Here are some that I’ve spotted recently.
Professional grade SLR dedicated cameras
Earlier this year, the Chicago Tribune (rather controversially) laid off all its photographers, expecting journalists to use their smartphones to capture photos for their articles.
More recently long time photographer Jim Richardson of National Geographic left behind his trusty Nikon single-lens reflect (SLR) camera and took his iPhone 5s to the Scottish Highlands. His conclusion: “With intense use (I’ve made about 4,000 pictures in the last four days) I’ve discovered that the iPhone 5s is a very capable camera. . . . The pictures did not look like compromises. They didn’t look like I was having to settle for second best because it was a mobile phone.”
One look at some of the entries in the iPhone Photography Awards, and I’ve no trouble in believing that SLRs are on the road to becoming redundant. I don’t, however, believe that photographers are—composition and a good eye are something that technology will not replace anytime soon.
Locksmiths
KeyMe has created an ingenious app on which you take a photograph of your key and then store it in their cloud database. Next time you’re locked out of your house you can simply go to one of their 24/7 automated kiosks and print out a new one for less than $20. This is far cheaper than calling a locksmith out, and a lot more convenient.
Libraries
I recently discovered the joys of the City of London ebook library. It works in a similar way to a traditional brick-and-mortar library, except that you never need to leave the house. You start by selecting whichever books you want using their online catalog. Then you can download the books of your choice instantly onto your tablet or phone, up to a maximum of four. If a particular copy is already loaned to another member, you can reserve it for when that copy is “returned.” I believe the limits are in place because the library has to compensate the authors for each loan made.
Bank tellers
We’re all used to carrying out banking transactions from our phones, such as checking balances, making transfers and so on. Now, thanks to a Bank of America app, you can even deposit checks, saving you a visit to the branch. Simply take a photo of the check from within the app, using your phone camera, and they take care of the rest. It’s clever, and a real time saver.
Opticians
Peek is a brilliant app that turns a smartphone into a mobile eye clinic. It was developed by doctors in London to help diagnose serious eye conditions in the third world. It works by attaching a special accessory to the phone camera and using the flash to check the back of the eye for retinal diseases, which could potentially cause blindness. The photographs and GPS coordinates of the patient can then be sent straight to the hospital for further assessment.
What do you think is next? Psychiatrists? Completely automated foreign language translators? Fitness devices and health monitoring devices are taking off—will they replace a trip to the doctor?
Just on my way to work this morning I bumped into several services that I wish were part of the mobile first movement. Have you spotted any within your business? I’d love to hear what they are. Just add your comments below or send me a tweet (@rabh).
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