July 29, 2003
A glimpse of cell phone future in Korea
This article published in Yahoo News Korea, explores how camera phones are already a part of daily South Korean life. They are so prevelant that it's not unusual to see someone snapping a picture in the street and to protect their trade secrets, high tech companies are no longer allowing them on their premises.
More than four million camera-equipped phones have been sold over the past year (last year's total worldwide sales were just 14 million) and the latest phones offer not only communications but also video camera functions, MP3, access to the Internet and live television shows as well as settlements of transactions.
"A mobile phone can even show you how to get to your destination, for example, the closest gas station or whatever," said Lee Sang-chul, a 37-year-old businessman who pays an average $200 in mobile phone charges a month. "There are so many cool functions. It's part of my life."
Moon Ae-ran, a 50-year-old homemaker living in an upmarket apartment complex in the southern Seoul, also enjoys the convenience of her high-tech device. She can turn on a washing machine and other home appliances with her mobile phone even when she is out shopping. "How can I live without this thing?" Moon said.
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