Ten years ago, Steve Jobs introduced the very first iPhone to the world.
Over one billion units of the iPhone have been sold worldwide and Apple obsessives have been known to queue for days to get their hands on each new iteration of the must-have tech item.
Since the first generation phone was released in 2007, the device has been developed into the most recent model of the iPhone 7.
In its launch year the iPhone was called “revolutionary”. Over the last decade the device has changed the way we communicate with one another, and with the world.
As the iPhone turns 10, it has become clear that this device has changed the way we live.
The ability to remain constantly connected leaves some people unable to unplug. Step onto a tram at rush hour and you’ll see countless commuters staring into their screens for the entire journey.
In allowing us to stay connected and access information wherever we are, has the iPhone made us overly dependent on the technology at our fingertips?
We hit the streets of Manchester to speak to shoppers and ask if, ten years later, society has become overly reliant on the almighty iPhone.
One shopper in the Arndale said: “I think lots of people can be too dependent on their smartphones. I work in theatre and we have a lot of issues with the audience on their phones.
“But at the same time having a smartphone, for me, is crucial for my job – you literally just caught me doing some work in the middle of town.”
Another woman working in the city centre said: “I do think they are necessary nowadays – especially if you are travelling, it’s a lot safer to have them on you, especially when you are living in a city.
“I do think that some people can be too dependent on them, nowadays when you see people never even having a conversation, or just always being on their phones, which is kind of a shame.”
