In this day and age, technology undoubtedly plays a pivotal role, thanks to the contributions of some of the great minds in history. Many adamantly conceive that the steam engine was one of the most paramount and imperative inventions of mankind as it enabled the advent of all motor vehicles, including cars, buses, and planes. All in all the perception that the steam engine was the most important invention has some merit and rings true to the ears of some individuals. However, in my humble opinion, I would say that the smartphone was the greatest and most influential invention in mankind's history for the following reasons.
First and foremost, the majority of individuals would agree with the notion that the smartphone has already engendered a myriad of advantages for modern people. This is mainly due to the fact that this portable yet extremely convenient gadget essentially and successfully combined all useful electronic devices into one easy to hold product. As Steve Jobs famously said in his seminar "imagine a device that works like a phone, camera, and computer in your pocket," the smartphone first took the world by storm and then quenched all technologically savvy consumers' thirst for a ground-breaking item. To be specific, in our generation, it's difficult to see a person who isn't holding his smartphone close to his face on the streets, in the subway, and even in classrooms. What I'm saying is that individuals in the twenty- first century have completely assimilated themselves to the smartphone because it is so convenient to use. Thus, Steve Jobs' invention not only rendered all other gadgets useless but also helped modern citizens to improve both their productivity and efficiency by leaps and bounds. In Korea, for example, most, if not all, people who use public transportation have earphones on and watch entertaining programs on their respective smartphones. In countries like the United States of America, people now don't type on their keyboards to chat with friends.