U.K. carrier O2 surveyed its users to discover which devices iPhones and other smartphones commonly replace in the lives of respondents. The device it replaced most often? The humble alarm clock.
54% of O2’s iPhone and smartphone customers have relegated their alarm clocks to the dustbin of history. The second most commonly replaced device was also a time-keeping device: the watch.
(I’m not too surprised about the watch. I haven’t worn a watch with any regularity in about 2 years. When I do wear one, it’s mainly as a fashion accessory. Yes, I am a slave to style.)
The iPhone replacing the alarm clock is not a big surprise either, you can select your choice of ring tones to wake up to, replacing the sharp buzzing or blaring alarm sound from most alarm clocks. You can also set multiple alarms, which can help those of us who have “snoozebar-itis” finally roll our lazy asses out of bed.
One surprising result of the survey; while most news reports and articles about slipping laptop market share have pointed toward the iPad and its tablet brethren as the culprit, O2 noted that 28% of its smartphone customers felt that their phone had erased the need for a laptop.