iPod-Centric World? Nah.

Influx envisions an iPod-centric world:

As the wireless phone has played an important role in changing ritual and elements of behavior, what will the iPod and its ilk do for society and business?

Influx clearly discerns in the iPod tea leaves a pattern different from my reading of iPod as hyper-inflated SOV. As a play-only device, the societal impact of portable audio devices is circumscribed: privacy regulation; mood manipulation; entertainment. The societal impact of low-granularity communication devices--e.g., wireless devices such as phones and PDAs--is considerably more substantial.

I believe the over-arching issue is this: how will (does) pervasive content--i.e., any content (images, audio, video, text), available anywhere, at any time--combined with the ability to share that content instantaneously impact society? How does the ever-availability of pervasive content impact:

• social interaction patterns? and
  
• social institutions?
  

From this perspective, the potential social impact of Apple's iCentric iLandic DEViCES is limited. PodCasting suggests the iCentric Apple world might escape from its iSland. We'll see. Or, will the iPod become yet another disposable device?