Can we agree that there's no such thing as a smartphone? Phones that we call "feature phones" used to cost as much as Apple's
But don't take my word for it. Five years ago, Cingular Wireless sold Motorola's RAZR V3i handset for $299. Today, the same price will get you a mid-range iPhone 4S.
That's not all. Nokia
Devices that were once special aren't anymore. They're the standard.
No one wears a watch anymore
Don't blame Apple for this; blame AT&T
And that has changed behavior. Think of how many people still wear watches. A fair amount do, sure, but I find this informal survey telling: Many of us have become so dependent on phones with smarts that we forego wrist jewelry -- unless it's to make a fashion statement of some sort.
Instead, specialty watches are where the industry is headed. Garmin
Hey! Look up for a second!
Then there's how we spend idle time. Maybe you take the subway or bus to work. Or maybe you're like me and spend time driving kids to and fro, often waiting with a crowd of parents as your children finish events.
Check the crowd the next time this happens. Count the number of people looking down and thumbing through a touchscreen. Startling, isn't it? As consumers, we've become used to the idea that handsets are designed to occupy idle time -- either for staying in contact, remaining productive, or playing a favorite game. More than 70 million Americans use social media via mobile devices, according to researcher comScore. In the five leading European Union markets, 55 million log on to handsets to check in on Twitter, Facebook, and the like.
And what about apps? In China, app usage is up more than 870% year-to-date, according to Flurry Analytics. Usage throughout much of Asia and Latin America is tripling, quadrupling, and more, as users become accustomed the idea that a phone should act like a computer -- and occupy us just as much.
Oh, and pricing. Don't forget pricing
But more than anything else, it's lower costs that suggest the term "smartphone" is, at best, outdated.
Again, consider what Google and Verizon are planning. I've no doubt the Galaxy Nexus is an outstanding handset. Certainly, there's plenty to like about the new Ice Cream Sandwich edition of Android, including support for near-field communications that allow a handset to double as a wallet. Mix in access to Verizon's fast LTE network and there's reason to believe the device could sell well.
Just don't be surprised if it doesn't. So many (ahem) smart devices that lack Apple's brand cachet are available for less than $300. Betanews' Joe Wilcox received mixed reactions when asking users if they'd buy the new Galaxy Nexus recently. Some were enthusiastic, while shipping delays frustrated others. A not-insignificant remainder couldn't justify the purchase.
This isn't surprising. As my Foolish colleague Evan Niu writes, the new Galaxy Nexus isn't a game-changer because it contains features we've become accustomed to. Dumb phones hardly exist anymore. And even the most moronic of the dummies is smart when compared with handsets of yesteryear. My daughter's basic T-Mobile prepaid handset plays games and allows for limited texting.
For investors, this shift makes it tougher to decide which handset makers to bet on. What to do? Try well-positioned component makers instead. Our analysts have identified three such companies in a new report, "3 Hidden Winners of the iPhone, iPad and Android Revolution." Get instant access to the report and all of our research by clicking here -- it's free.
