Jobs I Hire My iPhone For

One device, multiple Jobs

A few quick thoughts on what I hire my iPhone to do — and the alternatives I consider.

Be informed

I hire my iPhone to — be informed. This is probably the primary job I do with my phone. When I’m in the subway and the connection is out, it feels like half a device. The apps are just another bridge to the internet. I hire the phone to keep me up-to-date with e-mail, Hipchat, the current time, my calendar.

Frequency: All the time.

Consideration set: Laptop computer, desktop computer, iPad, gossiping, not doing anything

Keep me entertained

I hire my iPhone to — keep me entertained. I have games on my phone to entertain me on subway rides. I download podcasts not because I want to learn about Freakonomics or The Critical Path but because I want to be entertained. I watch YouTube and Vine videos to laugh and enjoy a moment. Facebook and photo streams to see what family and friends are up to.

Frequency: Often

Consideration set: boardgames, my iPad, Sci-Fi and Fantasy books, Netflix / Hulu, daydreaming

Babysit my kids

I hire my iPhone to — babysit my kids. I have games on my phone that I never play but get opened all the time. Minecraft is one, Minion Rush is another. These are not for me to play, but I hire them to keep my kids from going crazy and bugging me about being bored. Incidentally, I also use the photos app to keep them entertained.

Frequency: Often enough to feel guilty about it.

Consideration set: their iPad or iPod touch, “quiet hour”, going to the playground, board games, drawing mazes on paper, telling them to stop being crazy over and over again

Capture moments and share them (show off)

I hire my iPhone to — capture moments and share them (show off). The camera gets used with apps such as Hyperlapse so I can send cool videos to my family. I take photos so that Grandma and Grandpa can “like” their grandkids from afar. Panorama shots show off where I’ve been.

Frequency: Lower

Consideration set: camera -> download to computer, Facebook post, Swarm — check in, humble brag on twitter, Medium article

Communicate in real-time

I hire my iPhone to — communicate in real-time. Sometimes I have to take calls. Every so often I have to text my wife or my friends. We use Facetime to video chat with the folks. It’s not a huge job for me.

Frequency: Not often

Consideration set: don’t communicate, send an e-mail, wait until I see the person / people

Do useful work

I hire my iPhone to — do useful work. I have apps such as Yelp when I need to find a nearby restaurant, I sometimes need to tweak a presentation in Keynote, and I manage my Meetups from the Meetup app. I take photos of whiteboards with the photos app (different job from taking photos for myself!)

Frequency: Rare

Consideration set: my work laptop computer, asking another person to do it, my desktop computer, my iPad, pencil and paper, not doing it

These jobs are ordered in rank of frequency of use but I could also have ordered them by the emotion behind them. Each one of these jobs could also be unpacked further for pull (not wanting to waste time, worried about kids being addicted, worried about eye-strain) and push (fear of missing out, being able to appear informed, being able to talk about something at the water cooler) forces.

So… what do you hire your phone to do?