Small Object, Large Subject: Video Cameras in Phones

In this “digital age,” one of the modern inventions that has seen drastic improvement in a sort period of time is the telephone.  Every year a new model comes out and every year phone companies try to top themselves in terms of features.  One feature that comes on nearly every cell phone nowadays is the “video camera.”  Now any Average Joe with a phone in his pocket can create a brief recording anywhere, anytime, and of anything.  The convenience and immediacy of the “video phone” has been a huge selling point in ads and stores from all the major phone companies.

The company’s goal has been to make the ability to create videos and share them an easy and painless experience to get people “hooked” and want to buy their product.  This seems to work for most people, because it’s almost impossible to run into somebody with a “video-less” device and there are countless videos uploaded onto the Internet via Youtube or Facebook that people captured from their cell phones.  The easy-to-use interface and the ability to upload videos wirelessly to the Internet using the phone itself have only accelerated this feature’s popularity.

A large part of the marketing of cell phones is playing up ‘connectivity.’  Being able to send and receive videos from family and friends is another way of staying connected that new phones offer.  Often the companies will promote a “family plan” where you might save money if three or more family members join their service.  Many times parents want to know that they can stay in touch with their children even after they have “left the nest.”  The family-oriented nature of the ads and TV spots subconsciously makes viewers and readers feel that staying connected won’t be a problem as long as they have this device and this plan.

The producers of these video-ready devices most likely assume that people want to be able to capture video wherever they may be.  More and more people today want to document everything, and videophones are an extension of that desire.  If a hurricane breaks out, a street performer is playing guitar, or a group of friends are sharing memories, it’s comforting to know that you have a device to capture the moment at any time.  The phone companies play up the convenience and “importance” of this feature; they want to make sure the consumer feels as though he or she is missing out on something if they don’t have it.