For the past few years, people have been discussing whether the personal computer is dead. While many argue that there will always be a place for a bigger screen, a more powerful processer and a physical keyboard, there is no denying that people spend a tonne of time on their smartphones.
You may think that your laptop is your pride and joy, and that your smartphone can never, ever replace it; but is that really true? Let’s take a look at 10 of the ways your smartphone has already replaced your laptop as your go-to Internet/email/work/everything device:
- It has a giant screen
As laptop screens get smaller (hello, Ultrabook-craze), smartphone screens are getting bigger. The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 has a 5.7-inch screen, which is practically laptop-sized (okay, it is still one-fourth the size of the MacBook Air’s 11.6-inch screen), in most people’s opinion.
- It has 128GB of storage
Plenty of entry-level Ultrabooks have 128GB SSDs. Why bother with a laptop when you can store everything on your phone? (And if not on your phone, in the cloud?)
- Windows 10 is a ‘universal’ operating system
Windows 10 is a ‘universal’ operating system, which means it is designed to look the same across all devices, including smartphones and tablets. You may think this doesn’t affect you, as an Android user, but it does if you happen to use Windows on your PC. After all, Microsoft is not just replicating the Windows desktop experience on its smartphones, it is replicating the smartphone experience on its desktops. If your PC’s operating system is just a glorified smartphone OS, why bother switching back and forth?
- It can connect to a Bluetooth keyboard
The lack-of-a-physical-keyboard argument is probably the best argument as to why smartphones can’t really replace laptops. But there are plenty of Bluetooth keyboards that work with smartphones, including a lot of full-sized keyboards, so that’s actually a terrible argument.
- It’s got a touchscreen!
The cool new thing for laptops to have these days is touchscreens. Well, guess what? Your smartphone already has a touchscreen.
- All the cool games are mobile
And the cool games that aren’t mobile are huge time-sucks, anyway. Do you really need to spend 300 hours playing Fallout 4? Your phone is doing you a favour by keeping you on track with just a few (hundred) rounds of Wordament.
- It’s always connected
You know the drill- pull out your laptop, immediately start searching for free Wi-Fi. Your smartphone, on the other hand, is always connected to the Internet. Sure, there is a data limit (unless you are one of the lucky/stubborn ones), but better to have a data limit than no Internet at all.
- It’s expensive
Now that nobody offers subsidised phones with two-year-contracts anymore, you have to pay the full price for your fancy smartphone. That’s as much as a laptop! Who can afford two portable devices that both connect to the Internet, check email, and play crappy mobile games?
- It fits in your bag
The first time an Information Technology expert in Nigeria bought an 11-inch MacBook Air, he bought it for one main reason: It fits perfectly into his purse. But your smartphone fits into (almost) every purse! Will you rather lug around a smartphone and laptop, or just a smartphone? You can’t ditch the smartphone, but you can ditch the laptop.
- It’s with you all the time
You know what they say: the best X is the X you have with you. You may not think that your smartphone has replaced your laptop, but when you need to fire off a quick email or check Google to prove you are right in an argument, do you pull out your laptop? Most people don’t think so.