Symbiosis: a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups.
The tools we use to communicate and interact with each other have been in a perpetual state of evolution since the use of hieroglyphs more than 5,000 years ago. Those tools are now, just as they were then, shaped by the societal needs and resources.
While needs are much more loosely defined now than then (information on life-sustaining crops vs. text messages), the state of communication and interaction has been -and will continue to be- shaped by the needs and resources of society.
Today’s Needs and Resources
The resources: (1) vast amounts of data and locations in which to interact, (2) powerful communication tools (one form being mobile devices), and (3) a quickly expanding grid that connects these networks.
The needs: (1) the insatiable need to be continually connected to work, friends, social groups, and (2) sharing data (images, videos, status updates, etc).
I think the rapid growth of social media and the ubiquity of mobile devices are impossible to separate. As more individuals become connected, interaction with social media increases, which fuels the development of tools to facilitate quicker and easier connections.
It’s symbiosis.
Where This (Recently) Came From
Social media is not new. In fact, digital social interaction predates the modern internet as we know it. Usenet groups, message boards, and more paved the way for the tools which are perceived as the embodiment of social media (Twitter, Facebook and the like).
Mobile devices, which started as simple, humongous cellular phones, have a history dating to the early 1950′s. Text messaging, which can be dated to the early 1990′s, realized a very slow rate of adoption, steady growth, and then an incredible explosion.
It’s reasonable (and logical) to expect that these elements will continue to morph. Also, it’s difficult (at this time) to imagine that they will disappear. They’ll be different, for sure. But they’re not going away.
Mobile Coverage and Reach
According to Netpop Research mobile internet access has increased by 36% in the last year. And here’s a Guardian article that discusses global mobile use. This part sums it up:
“With 100,000 phone masts erected each year, the number of places with “no signal” is dwindling fast. “More than 90% of the global population now has access,” said Gabriel Solomon of mobile trade body GSMA.
The graph below represents predictions for cellular subscriptions from by SNL Kagan.
SNL Kagan Mobile Data
Text and Multimedia Mobile Messages
Here are some stats and references to back up the point:
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USA Today – Exploding growth in mobile messaging – 1/12/2005
- 14 billion text mobile messages were sent domestically in 2003, with industry reports showing that mobile messaging reached 25 billion by the end of 2004.
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Cellsigns Mobile Marketing Blog
- More than 1 Trillion text messages sent/received in 2008. That is almost triple the messages compared to 2007 (363 Billion).
- Average of more than 3.5 billion SMS messages per day.
- 15 Billion MMS messages reported in 2008 – up from 6 Billion in 2007.
The numbers offer a poignant look at mobile, from where it started to where it’s going. For in an in depth look, dig into this report from Cita – Wireless Association. The text is on the wall.
The Emergence of Social Networks
Can you think of a day recently when you haven’t heard or read something about Twitter or Facebook? Think about how you obtained breaking news, or kept up with friends and family five years ago. Three years ago. It’s changed a lot.
The share of adult internet users who have a profile on a social networking site has more than quadrupled in the past four years — from 8% in 2005 to 35% now.
Growth of Online Social Networks
As the number of people who are on social networks grows, the number of people accessing those networks regularly grows right along with it.
Social media has become a part of our culture. We keep up with friends, we keep up with news, we keep up with competitors and our customers literally around the clock. Enjoy breaking news? Friendfeed and Twitter were/are in many cases the sole method of communication for those involved in the unrest in Iran. These are just a few examples of the ways in which social media has permeated our daily lives.
Connection
It’s easy to see the similarity in growth between mobile and social. I think the two are connected; they’re depending on one another to grow. It’s a symbiotic relationship.
What do you think. Is there a direct connection between the two? Or just coincidence?