With a smartphone the size of your palm, you can take photos, listen to music, watch videos, do banking, call a taxi, and even chat with AI when you're bored.

However, behind that convenience lies the remnants of countless electronic devices that have quietly disappeared, haha.

I became curious about how smartphones have pushed these electronic devices out of the market.

Digital Cameras

Once, DSLRs were a symbol of wealth, a dream for students. Brands like Canon, Nikon, and Olympus soared high.

But with the advent of smartphone cameras equipped with AI and optical technology, that era has ended.

Now, smartphones automatically correct images and even show 'before and after' comparisons. It's hard to see heavy DSLRs unless you're a professional.

They barely survive as equipment for YouTubers.

MP3 Players

When the iPod first came out, it felt like the world was changing. You could store thousands of songs on a hard drive!

But with the emergence of smartphones, that all came to an end. Now, streaming through YouTube, Spotify, Melon, and Apple Music is the norm.

Music has become something to 'stream' rather than own, and MP3 players have become relics in a box.

Navigation

In the days when someone in the backseat would shout, "Turn left now!!" navigation was revolutionary. Brands like FindDrive and iNavi were once household names.

But now, with Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, and Kakao Navi on smartphones, providing real-time traffic updates, accident alerts, and camera locations, dedicated navigation devices have lost their place.

Desk Clocks and Alarm Clocks

While clock functions have existed in electronic devices for a long time, alarm clocks had a unique position. The ticking sound of the second hand and the ringing at the set time. Some even woke you up with the radio. Now, with apps that provide vibration alarms and sleep analysis, alarm clocks have disappeared without making a sound.

Game Consoles

Nintendo, PSP, and even arcade machines like Tekken... In the past, you needed dedicated devices to play games. But now, mobile games rival AAA titles in graphics, story, and even monetization structures. Of course, hardcore gamers still love consoles. But most casual users have shifted to smartphones, which have even taken over gaming consoles.

Calculators, Voice Recorders, Flashlights...

This goes without saying. The calculators we used to carry to school, the voice recorders used in meetings, and the flashlights we searched for during power outages. Now, all of these are solved with a single 'app'. They're so naturally included in smartphones that we forget they ever existed.

Now, almost everything is possible with just one smartphone. But convenience cannot replace everything.

The designs and emotions that were different for each device, and the feelings and sentiments of handling those machines in their time....

All of that has melted into smartphones, and now it has become a memory.

While smartphones have become the ultimate electronic device, I can't help but think they might be a king that has taken away too much.