Name: The anthropology of mobile phones
Uploaded: 2007-10-18T14:05:00Z
Duration: 15 min 49 s
Description: Nokia researcher Jan Chipchase's investigation into the ways we interact with technology has led him from the villages of Uganda to the insides of our pockets. He's made some unexpected discoveries along the way.

Nokia researcher Jan Chipchase's investigation into the ways we interact with technology has led him from the villages of Uganda to the insides of our pockets. He's made some unexpected discoveries along the way.

The anthropology of mobile phones

The spread of mobile phones, now connecting over three billion people, is reshaping how individuals meet basic needs and reinvent daily life. Across continents, people rely on just three essentials—keys, money, and phones—to secure shelter, sustenance, and connection. Observing practices in places like Uganda and China reveals that users often adapt technology in ingenious ways, such as turning phones into makeshift banks or repairing devices with local tools and networks. These grassroots solutions challenge designers to learn from real-world behaviors and to listen as billions more join the global conversation.