The evolution of phone communication, from the telephone to the smartphone, illustrates people’s capacity for action. When the telephone first became available in the United States, it was marketed...

The evolution of phone communication, from the telephone to the smartphone, illustrates people’s capacity for action. When the telephone first became available in the United States, it was marketed primarily as a business device. However, most people used the phone for conversation with friends and relatives. Today, the ways in which people choose to use mobile phones and smartphones are once again changing some aspects of social life.