Long ago, hand-held phones did not have cameras, touch screens or were not even in colour. All the phone could do was make and receive calls and send text messages. As technology evolved, the smartphone too moved on with ever-increasing features and apps. For the present generation office-goer, a day without smartphone is unimaginable.

Take for instance, scheduling work for the day to order food and cabs - several tasks can be achieved with the phone. In the context of needs and necessities, smartphones are necessities where one could not dare venture out in the maddening traffic but prefers to book a cab. That is only the tip of the iceberg. Shopping, paying utility bills and movie tickets all have an app for our convenience. While it saves us time and effort in many ways, the mobile phone also increases our dependency. While that is so, smartphones are also life savers for many.

Here are a couple of them:

Medical Emergency: A friend of mine was admitted to a hospital and was suggested immediate surgery. His relatives were asked to procure certain units of blood. While his parents fumbled, one of those relatives wiped out his smartphone, put out on social media about the required blood within certain period of time. The response was tremendous and on time. In medical emergencies at home and on road, there are several apps that alert our loved ones and also the medical teams.

Lonely Travel: Several apps were developed in the recent past that cater to people travelling alone. Using those apps, a person can easily inform or alert his or her friends or relatives about the travel plans and present location. These apps are especially useful for women who need to travel alone to and from their work place. Considering the increasing reports of attacks on women, these apps have been developed by incorporating all possible scenarios of travel and required security features.

Besides food and cabs, there are lot many benefits that we can be derived from the smartphone besides ofcourse making and receiving calls.