It was for sure an inflection point in entire process, what's funny is I didn't have a true IPhone until 2013, I had plenty of money, and two phones always, but just didn't see the real need. To this day all I really use beyond call and text is Lyft, and the Notes and reading news online. actually used a Blackberry around 2013 and 2014 too, and it was a great phone, but by then it was obsolete. All I did was text, I don't even remember it being color, or using the internet.
but social media with it's focus on identity took something that was relatively harmless, like knocking out emails on a BlackBerry, and made it into something that took all of people's attention, not everyone was going to be firing off BB emails, but who doesn't want the dopamine/affirmation that comes with social media?
The rise of APPS around 2009/2010 is another. Convinced people it would make their lives so much easier to download 17 apps to organize every aspect of their day, while inputting all their data, so Facebook and google could refract that data back to them in the form of adds.
but, yeah the smartphone itself is like having a slot machine in your pocket. I am pretty good with mine, but noticed years ago, behavior like getting in an elevator and wanting to read the NY TIMES online for 45 seconds, like just put your phone away for a minute. it's habit forming, and addictive. Even The Coli with the RED ALERTS and likes and all that, is based around that concept.
Some people need help for their own good.