This document discusses trends in consumer technology and how they are driven by time. The key trends are mobility, with the rise of smartphones and e-readers; greater connection through social networks that allow constant sharing; and a movement toward video and audio formats for learning and entertainment. These trends are driven by society's desire to maximize time by multitasking and accessing information instantly from any location. While religious groups also engage with technology, most Christians still prefer print Bibles, though electronic Bible usage is rising through phones and e-readers.

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It All
Comes
Down
to
Time
Trends in
Technology
By Allysse Shank

2. The blind men and an elephant by John Godfrey
Saxe (1816-1887)
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.
The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a WALL!”
The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho, what have we here,
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a SPEAR!”
The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
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“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a SNAKE!”
The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he:
“‘Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a TREE!”
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a FAN!”
The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a ROPE!”
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong.
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Most of us are familiar with the parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant. It delivers a
great message regarding the danger of biases. As humans we may want to trust our own personal
experiences before we will trust the experiences of others. However, if we would agree to
collaborate on understanding of various topics, we can, perhaps, begin to grasp the full picture.
After much research and prayer, I, as a Millennial and servant of Jesus Christ, have trusted God
to show me the full “elephant” of this topic. Here, I will walk you through the process of my
research as best I am able. The purpose of this entire project is to give you, the Board of
Directors, the information you need to understand the role of technology in the ministry of BSF.
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3. INTRODUCTION
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The Research
Technology is defined as “the use of science in industry, engineering, etc. to invent useful
things or to solve problems (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).” Technology is applied to many
aspects of society – business, government, and personal life. This paper will identify trends in
technology used by consumers, specifically as it relates to how consumers connect, learn, and
communicate while also discussing the driving factors behind them. The key trends in
technology are Mobility, Movement toward Video and Audio Format, and Greater Connection
through Social Networking. The driving force behind these trends is Time.
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The Methodology
To uncover the trends in technology at a consumer level, this paper will not only analyze
what is popular in consumer technology in terms of devices, but also how technology is being
used to share information and the tools that are useful to consumers in helping them solve
problems. The focus is on technology as consumers use it to communicate, learn, and connect
with one another. The number of devices and methods of disseminating information being
analyzed have statistically grown in ownership and usage; and, therefore, give an accurate
representation of what the present consumer based technology is and a reasonable guess of what
the future will be. The devices being analyzed are smartphones and e-readers, and the methods
these devices use to communicate or disseminate information are apps, podcasts, video, and
social networks.
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4. TRENDS
Mobility
The ability to access information, communicate, and connect anytime, anywhere is highly
valued. This seems to be the conclusion given strong demand for mobile devices at the rise in
activity on these devices. The number of Americans who own a cellphone has risen from 53% in
2000 to 90% in 2014 (Pew Research Center, 2014), and the number of Americans with a
smartphone has risen from 35% in 2011 to 64% by 2015 (Anderson, 2015). Furthermore, Sixty-
eight percent of all American adults connect to the internet using a mobile device such as a
smartphone or tablet computer (The Web at 25, p5). Surveys have shown that about half of
smartphone owners say they could not live without them (Anderson, p4) while one-third of all
cellphone users say their smartphone is their primary internet access point (The Web at 25, p13).
The fact that half of smartphone owners say they “could not live without them” gives reason to
conclude that society has an expectation to access information whenever and wherever.
The use of e-readers has also seen a steady increase due to this trend of mobility. Avid
readers now have the power to carry their reading materials with them at all times. Half of all
Americans own an e-reading device (Zickuhr and Rainie, 2014).
In an interesting study to see what adults do on their phones, participants were surveyed
twice per day (14 total surveys) over the course of a week (Anderson, p3-4). When asked how
they had used their phone in the preceding hour, respondents reported:
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Texting – 97%
Voice/Video calls – 92%
Internet – 89%
Email – 88%
Social Networking – 75%
Take Pictures/Video – 60%
News – 55%
Watching Video – 50%
Games – 47%
Maps – 41%
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The results of this survey shed light on a key understanding as it relates to this trend in mobility.
Through mobile devices, individuals have access to communicating, learning, and connecting to
friends as well as with current events. These devices provide entertainment through games and
videos. Practically, they serve as tools such as finders or as a camera. These high percentage rates
show that society does take advantage of the conveniences of having several aspects of life in the
palm of its hands. These findings serve to support the next two trends.
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5. Greater Connection through Social Networks
There was a time when a friend would move away and you would hug and say goodbye,
knowing you may never see each other again. With current technology, that is simply not the
case anymore. Today, society is connected to everything and everyone. With regards to trends in
technology, these trending devices provide connection with what a person is doing, learning, and
feeling with everyone else in that person’s life. Social networks have made this connection
possible.
Social networking has redefined “connection.” Furthermore, social networks are
constantly working to improve and to update services to coincide with current trends. A few
recent capabilities (sharing, checking-in, and hashtags), provided through social networking,
support this trend.
Sharing is posting a link from one website to a social network. Another feature is the
option to “check-in” or add a location to a status update. By doing so, a person connects himself
to that place and, in conjunction, to every other person who has also “checked-in” to that place.
Hashtags are also significant in social networking. Hashtags are a way consumers can
connect what they just posted with anyone else who used the same hashtag. For example, while
on vacation this summer, someone can connect with thousands of people who are also on
vacation by simply adding #summervacation2015 to the end of his or her status. This becomes a
link to anyone who has also used that same hashtag. By clicking on that link, this person can see
thousands of pictures and status updates from all over the world. While this is a more
recreational use of this tool, hashtags have been influential in politics and religion (ei.
#Godsnotdead #yesallwomen #blacklivesmatter). These political hashtags bring a sense of
connection with a movement as well as the people within.
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Movement toward Video and Audio Format
The third trend in technology is the movement away from text toward video and audio
format on the internet. Video and audio format combine both the understanding of the draw
toward instantaneous access of information and our desire for constant social network
connection. Society is moving away from reading, even electronically, as a method to gain
information. Video and audio formats offer several common conveniences while also offering
independent characteristics which may cause a consumer to choose one over the other depending
on what information is being communicated and depending on time availability and location of
the viewer/listener.
The video format, in essence, has all the appeal of audio format with the added benefit of
visual connection. There has been significant growth in video viewership across the World Wide
Web (Smith, 2014). One study concluded that by 2019, eighty percent of global internet
consumption will be video content (Cisco, 2015). This rise in video consumption can only be
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6. explained by a shift in preference for how society gains information, entertains itself, and even
expresses itself. Before video became so popular, entertainment was found mostly through such
avenues as books, comedy clubs, and concerts. Learning was achieved by reading text books or
seeking instruction from an expert. Expression was writing blogs, poetry clubs, and art.
Communication was accomplished through voice phone calls and email. Today, while society
still partakes in many of these things, the attention that was given them is now, in large part,
directed toward video. For example, if someone is not sure how to cut a watermelon, they don’t
have to look for a cook book or even google one, they just go to YouTube and type in “How to
cut a watermelon” and watch a video. It is no longer necessary to reach out to an expert to gain
this information. Instead, experts (and some amateurs) post videos of themselves explaining a
particular topic.
Another characteristic of the video format is the concise manner in which it portrays
information. The most successful “how-to” videos typically last no more than 5 to 10 minutes.
One example of an organization that has flourished in presenting complex information in a
concise and entertaining format is TED Talks (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization).
TED Talks prides itself on being informative, educational, and concise. Any viewer can choose a
video, narrowed down by topic, and get a 5-15 minute presentation on the subject. Millions of
viewers have taken advantage of this convenient method of gaining understanding
Even our education system has started to structure classes and lectures according to this
trend. In some online courses, teachers will break down subject material into specific topics so
that a student can watch a very specific and short explanation on whichever particular topic is
confusing them. For example, a student taking a course in communication theory could have
very brief, concise explanations of individual theories as needed. This provides a great
alternative to the student needing to re-watch an entire lesson or needing to contact the professor
and wait for an answer (Agarwal, 2013).
As mentioned before, society is leaning away from written media toward video and
audio. A video contains both visual and audio capabilities. However, though the preference may
be video, a person may not always have the luxury of lending his eyes. In these cases, such as in
driving, walking, or exercising, the preference would be to listen versus watch, taking in audible
information while being free to attend to other tasks.
A recent rise in podcast users and the steady number of audiobook readers shows that a
good number of American adults prefer listening to material (The Infinite Dial 2015). In the past
month alone an estimated 39 million Americans (an all-time high) have listened to a podcast
(Wires, 2014). Large companies such as Apple and Stitcher’s (an app that works as a podcast
library) are catching on to the recent growth in podcast subscriptions so much so that they have
been willing to invest greatly in their industry presence. Stitcher’s has grown from hosting 5000
podcasts in 2011 to 18,000 in 2013 (Wires, 2014).
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7. THE DRIVING FORCE
This analysis shows that the driving force behind these trends is time, or lack thereof. In
olden times, a family would have to kill its livestock in order to start the hours of preparation for
dinner, such as Sarai, Abraham’s wife, did for the three visitors (Genesis 18). Today, modern
technology has provided efficient storage and cooking capabilities, which requires less physical
work of the consumer and, in turn, provides more time in which the consumer does not have to
be preparing his or her meal.
This is just one example of how technology has made a necessary task more efficient.
Society is striving, continually, to increase the time produced through efficiency. For instance,
today, my twelve-year-old sister can prepare her own dinner in a matter of minutes by simply
warming up her meal in the microwave. Perhaps, in the future, a three-course dinner will only
take a few moments to prepare.
Humanity has always valued efficiency. The question at hand is this: If society has so
much more unoccupied time due to the progress in technology, why does it still feel like there is
not enough? Society is no longer in the business of “saving” time but of attempting to “create”
time. “Saving time” is the mindset of “setting aside” time in a linear notion. In this mindset,
society looks to condense the time it takes to complete a task so that the next task can be started
sooner which will eventually leave unoccupied (or saved) time at the end of the day. Now,
society is moving toward having the mindset of “creating” time by overlapping time spent. In
this mindset, society lives in multiple time frames or dimensions at once. Instead of purely
condensing time, the different dimensions allow tasks to be “stacked” or done at the same time.
A key characteristic of devices being invented is that these devices enable multitasking by
demanding less attention and time per task. For example, A woman can be eating dinner while
texting her husband while watching the news while running the dishwasher or laundry machine.
Society is using the time it has and is creating layers of time on top of it. In essence, society is
attempting to create time.
Now, more than ever before, we have the opportunity to connect with anything and
anyone, to learn everything about every aspect of life. The reason society is seeking to maximize
these time dimensions is that recent technology has unlocked an infinite amount of tools and
information that is now readily available at the touch of a screen. For example, now a family can
sit and eat a meal with distant relatives in another country through tools such as Skype or
FaceTime. In another example, an animal enthusiast can watch a live video feed at the touch of a
button, if only the time could be created.
Apps provide an example and support for this reasoning (Smartphones, 2014). An app
gives access to something used frequently (bank account, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) directly from
the home screen of a smart phone or mobile device. Even though this method of dissemination is
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8. only a small added convenience added to (the already convenient method of) accessing
information remotely through an internet browser, society values apps.
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WITHIN THE CHURCH
There is much less research regarding technology within churches, but most existing
research show that religiously affiliated adults have much of these same consumer technology
habits as the average American. There are a few statistics worth examining.
Barna Research (2014) did a survey to find out more information about Bible apps and
other uses of technology within the church by comparing religiously affiliated Americans
(Protestant and Catholic) to religiously unaffiliated Americans (Christian and faith/no faith).
When asked if they have a Bible app downloaded to their phone, only 21% of all America said
yes while 36% of Protestants had downloaded a Bible app. When Barna Research asked Bible
readers if they read, on their own, from a print version of the Bible, 89% of readers said they do.
This number has not changed over the past 4 years despite the rise in e-reader ownership.
The most noticeable growth is in the percentages of Bible readers who have searched for
Bible verses or Bible content on a smart phone or cell phone which has almost doubled from
18% in 2011 to 35% in 2014 and those who have read an electronic version of the Bible on an e-
reader such as Kindle or iPad which has doubled from 12% to 24%.
Barna Research also asked a few other questions in this survey with results showing
either a slight fall or rise in recent years. The results show that the percentage of Bible readers
who attended a small group or Bible study, where you study the Bible in a group, not including
weekend worship services has dropped 9 percentage points (53% to 44%) since 2011. There was
a 5 percentage point increase in those who listened to a teaching about the Bible via podcast
(24% to 29%) and a 7 percentage point increase in those who used the Internet on a computer to
read Bible content (37% to 44%).
The number-one downloaded Bible app is YouVersion with more than 186 million
downloads (https://www.youversion.com/). YouVersion is a great example for using technology
to reach the world with the Bible. YouVersion’s method for Bible engagement is “Read, Listen,
Watch, Share.” Scripture can be read, listened to, or watched, and then shared via social
networks. In addition, the app has a feature that shows where people all over the world are
reading, listening, watching, or sharing. These four methods mirror the overall trends of mobility,
movement toward audio and video format, and greater connection through social media.
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9. CONCLUSION
Society values the convenience of mobility for all aspects of life, including in
connections, education, and entertainment. Furthermore, it values the instant access technology
provides in addition to the convenience mobility brings. Technology provides a way to have and
maintain a relationship or connection with anyone and anything imaginable. This is something
sought after in every aspect of life.
Recent trends in technology point to a consumer base that wants to be able to multitask.
They want connections, education, and communication available when it is convenient for them.
Convenience may come on-the-go or late at night or in a small two-minute window between
college lectures. For the religiously affiliated in America, these trends are desired within their
spiritual lives as well as their emotional and practical lives.
As mentioned previously, there is a steady decrease in Bible readers who attend small
group or Bible studies outside of regular worship service. These Bible studies and small groups
are typically built in a traditional structure. This structure does not embody the trends we have
just discussed. A lecture style meeting with a scheduled time and place does not embody the
trends of mobility, video and audio format, or even connection through social networking. For
BSF, this may explain the lower rates of participation among younger generations.
Bible Study Fellowship’s mission is to provide “worldwide training centers teaching the
Bible to produce in all participants a vibrant relationship with God, and, in as many as are called,
a passion to commit without reservation to lead in the cause of Christ in the world”. Through
technological advances the world is learning, communicating, and connecting in very different
ways than ever before. The question now is this: Is Bible Study Fellowship still completing its
mission amidst these advances?
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10. RESOURCES
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Agarwal, A. (2013). Why Massive Open Online Courses (still) matter. TedTalks. http://
www.ted.com/talks/anant_agarwal_why_massively_open_online_courses_still_matter?
language=en
Anderson, M. (2015). 6 facts about Americans and their smartphones. Pew Research Center.
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/01/6-facts-about-americans-and-their-
smartphones/
The Barna Group (2014). The State of the Bible Report 2014. American Bible Society. http://
www.americanbible.org/features/state-of-the-bible-2015
Cisco. (2015). Cisco Visual Networking Index: Forecast and Methodology, 2014–2019 http://
www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/service-provider/ip-ngn-ip-next-generation-network/
white_paper_c11-481360.html
Edsion Research (2015). The Infinite Dial of 2015. http://www.edisonresearch.com/the-infinite-
dial-2015/
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 2011. Merriam-Webster.com.
Nielson (2014). Smartphones: So many apps, so much time. http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/
insights/news/2014/smartphones-so-many-apps--so-much-time.html
Pew Research Center (2014). The Web at 25. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewinternet.org/
2014/02/27/the-web-at-25-in-the-u-s/
Smith, A. (2014). Online Video Streaming Up 60%, TV Consumption Down But Not Out
[Report]. http://www.reelseo.com/online-video-streaming-up-60-per-cent/
Ted Talks. https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization
Wires, N. (2014). The Rising Popularity of Podcasts: Why Listeners are Rediscovering Podcasts.
http://tunheim.com/the-rising-popularity-of-podcasts-why-listeners-are-rediscovering-podcasts/
YouVersion. https://www.youversion.com/
Zickuhr, K., Rainie, L., (2014). E-Reading Rises as Device Ownership Jumps. Pew Research
Center. http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/01/16/e-reading-rises-as-device-ownership-jumps/
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