Molly Rose through Apple pay , I can have an uber on its way to pick me up and take me wherever I need to go . The ‘ multitouch interface of the iPhone ’ enables ‘ easier and more intuitive operations ’ ( Lee , 2012:67 ). The ease of use of the iPhone further maintains this sense of familiarity , alongside the ‘ haptic intimacy afforded by touching one ’ s device ’ ( Hughes and Mee , 2019:3 ). Sometimes I even find myself holding my hands around it whilst it sits in the pocket of my coat . ‘ People will often hold and handle their phones even when not in use ’ ( Richardson , 2007:210 ). Knowing that it is with me , with all its possibilities , makes me feel safer than if it wasn ’ t .
This sense of companionship I feel with my iPhone also manifests through it being the most efficient way I can contact absent friends or family . I message at least one person daily , some friends I haven ’ t seen in over a year , but it doesn ’ t feel that way as I can text , call or facetime them at any point in the day if I want to ; ‘ without being restricted by geography and time ’ ( Lee , 2012:66 ). This ability to contact friends and family at all times leads to the ‘ pluralisation ’ of ‘ social relationships ’ ( Goffman , 1959 cited in Moores , 2004:23 ). It feels as though I sometimes talk to one version of my friend in person , and a slightly different version over text , given facial expressions and body language are removed from this form of communication . Through my iPhone , I can extend social relationships during the covid-19 pandemic , during which I haven ’ t seen some people for over 8 months . In this
38 context , I believe my iPhone is essential to maintaining some of my relationships , enabling me to keep ‘ perpetual contact ’ ( Lee , 2012:66 ).
This perceived connectedness with my iPhone also manifests through the array of personal documents such as notes , messages and pictures I have on it , which I consider ‘ valuable virtual possessions ’ ( Hsu & Tseng 2016 cited in Niew et al ., 2020 ). I get the same rush of nostalgia as looking through a family photo album , just by looking through my photos app or tagged pictures on social media sites such as Facebook . On the occasion of losing my iPhone , the idea that I had lost these documents inflicted frustration and anxiety , and inflicts these emotions at present , at the prospect of losing them again .
Nomophobia has been defined as ‘ the fear of not being able to use a smartphone or a mobile phone and / or the services it offers ’ ( Yildrim & Correia , 2015:136 cited in Niew et al ., 2020 ). My iPhone use habits explored here suggest I have nomophobia . When I am out and my phone dies or cannot find a signal , I get anxious . ‘ The iPhone ’ s absence is experienced as a source of great anxiety , engendering a loss of presence ’ ( Lee 2012:78 ). Linking to earlier ideas of companionship , this further reinforces the notion of it feeling like a genuine ‘ loss ’ of something , more than just a replaceable object . Interestingly , Niew et al ., look to attachment theory to understand this connection , and the anxiety experienced upon separation ( Niew et al ., 2020 ). I now believe my