Where are the "phones" in Equestria?

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

It Isn't the Mane Thing About You had Rarity cancel a big shoot with Photo Finish. And to do that, she said she would call her. That's what she told Fluttershy right before the Mane Six went to her place to lift her up.

There's no other way to interpret what calling somebody is. You simply can't do that without a phone. I don't think Equestria has the technology sophisticated enough for ponies to walk around with cell phones, but at the very least, there should be landlines. And not once have we seen a pony use one anywhere in the show. They do have electricity. So what gives? Is this an oversight on the writers' part?

[StrawCherry 1,673]

I swear I thought you were simply talking about ponies ('pones') before I realised that phones are a thing too.

As to your topic, you have a point. Maybe the writers are refusing to show phones as to not encourage young children to want a phone so soon? Which would be a good thing since the other day, I saw a five year old telling his mother that 'that cover was for his phone'. They shouldn't be using technology so young and maybe that's what the show is trying to prevent.  I really just made this up on the spot but I thought it kind of made sense in a way.

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

I doubt that's the reason. Kids shouldn't gorge on junk food, and Pinkie does it like a clinical obsession.

[Aethylynn 45]

That line probably was an oversight. If there were phones in Equestria, they wouldn't need exotic means of communication like magic ballerina dolls, or Spike-mail. Then again, who knows what other exotic means of communication they might have at their disposal.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

I think it is a deliberate choice - Equestria uses the lowest level of technology they can to get the job done. Even though they have (for example) magic books that can scribe across dimensional barriers, they mostly just send letters (although Twi sends hers by dragonbreath, Cadence via a giant snowflake and pinkie can apparently send hers from a moving train, so clearly there is something else going on here :D)

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

There are no phones, calling doesn't have to mean cellular device.

[Jeric 46,851]

Wait. What is that blurry thing in the office background? Lets see if we can get a clearer look. 

 

Being the Rarity fan that I am ... I knew this answer the moment I saw the thread title since I've watched this video countless times. Also I have a pretty good memory. Phones do exists in Equestria, at least in some limited fashion.  

Rarity said 'call' because she may own or have access to a phone.

17 hours ago, KillerKingBakudan said:

They do have electricity. So what gives? Is this an oversight on the writers' part?

Not an oversight, but I do suspect that they are rare. 

Also, I suspect @PiratePony knew this as well. Steeped in Rarilore that one is. 

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

37 minutes ago, Jeric said:

Wait. What is that blurry thing in the office background? Lets see if we can get a clearer look. 

 

Being the Rarity fan that I am ... I knew this answer the moment I saw the thread title since I've watched this video countless times. Also I have a pretty good memory. Phones do exists in Equestria, at least in some limited fashion.  

Rarity said 'call' because she may own or have access to a phone.

Not an oversight, but I do suspect that they are rare. 

Also, I suspect @PiratePony knew this as well. Steeped in Rarilore that one is. 

Something tells me that phones aren't even as advanced as our phones were at that era, and can only be used for short ranged calls or really only exist in the higest of tech places like Manehattan.

Just like a computer was in the backround once, I don't take that as confirmation that computers exist in Equestria.

[Jeric 46,851]

Just now, Ryanmahaffe said:

Something tells me that phones aren't even as advanced as our phones were at that era, and can only be used for short ranged calls or really only exist in the higest of tech places like Manehattan.

Just like a computer was in the backround once, I don't take that as confirmation that computers exist in Equestria.

Well, we have it in dialog and a physical asset created for the show and placed in an environment that makes sense. So ... Saying there are no phones isn't entirely accurate -- headcanon created limitations aside. It also fits with the level of other technology in the show. We aren't exactly talking about modern technology. We are talking about something that we invented in the decade following the American Civil War. Put another way, we invented the phone before anyone had a single railroad that connected an entire country from border to border. 

Completely different than computers. It wasn't until about 100 years following the invention of the phone that the home PC reached the market as kits. Entire generations lived and died in between the two. The phone is old ass tech. Older than other things we have seen on the show. Not sure why people were so quick to say things like they don't exist.

Perspective always helps. 

[Kaneki 1,073]

It makes me wonder what the pony version of AT&T (the pre-1984 one, not the current one) would be called. PT&T, maybe? 

[Castle Bleck 19,361]

Didn't Iron Will and his staff have modern headsets?

[Skytower 71]

The phone was sophisticated enough in the 1920's to link the entire country, I think that they are on that level.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

1 minute ago, Jeric said:

Well, we have it in dialog and a physical asset created for the show and placed in an environment that makes sense. So ... Saying there are no phones isn't entirely accurate -- headcanon created limitations aside. It also fits with the level of other technology in the show. We aren't exactly talking about modern technology. We are talking about something that we invented in the decade following the American Civil War. Put another way, we invented the phone before anyone had a single railroad that connected an entire country from border to border. 

Completely different than computers. It wasn't until about 100 years following the invention of the phone that the home PC reached the market as kits. Entire generations lived and died in between the two. The phone is old ass tech. Older than other things we have seen on the show. Not sure why people were so quick to say things like they don't exist.

Perspective always helps. 

It's not so much that I don't think it's possible for any type of phone to exist, I would just imagine they are very very limited and crude even compared to the counterparts of real life a long time ago. So Rarity saying "I will call Sapphire Shores" doesn't have to mean actually call her.

I wasn't comparing it to a computer, I just thought that a Computer was in the backround of an episode once...which, there is no way Equestria has computers.

[Jeric 46,851]

16 minutes ago, Ryanmahaffe said:

It's not so much that I don't think it's possible for any type of phone to exist, I would just imagine they are very very limited and crude even compared to the counterparts of real life a long time ago. So Rarity saying "I will call Sapphire Shores" doesn't have to mean actually call her.

I wasn't comparing it to a computer, I just thought that a Computer was in the backround of an episode once...which, there is no way Equestria has computers.

Here is a wonderful article on technology seen in Equestria. And that is an old article. Curiously there are things that are more recent than home computers that we have seen. The first digital electronic watch prototype appeared around the same time as home PC kits. So .... why are they impossible again? I mean everyone in this thread literally said phones don't exist, and some were seemingly so self assured that they placed closings like, 'its that simple.'

I'm just saying ... not really that simple. We have seen them in the show. We have seen modern technology in the show used in practical ways. 

Also ... I was amused to fine that article was once shared by @Fresh Nonsense long ago. Small pony world. 

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

1 minute ago, Jeric said:

Here is a wonderful article on technology seen in Equestria. And that is an old article. Curiously there are things that are more recent than home computers that we have seen. The first digital electronic watch prototype appeared around the same time as home PC kits. So .... why are they impossible again? I mean everyone in this thread literally said phones don't exist, and some were seemingly so self assured that they placed closings like, 'its that simple.'

I'm just saying ... not really that simple. We have seen them in the show. We have seen modern technology in the show used in practical ways. 

Also ... I was amused to fine that article was once shared by @Fresh Nonsense long ago. Small pony world. 

If Computers exist than phones shouldn't be so rare, Equestria technology is convoluted and pretty dumb but I don't think Computers really exist, in fact now that I check I can't find any info of a computer in the show, maybe I don't remember as I thought I read that some time ago.

Well when most people here "phone" now they think of you know, cell phones, smart phones. That is just what is implanted in peoples memory now.

I don't consider Pinkies vision of a James Bond parody to be confirmation of Digital watches or advanced non magic laser systems, it's Pinkie Pie. Season 2 Pinkie at that.

To end this, yeah, phones do exist in Equestria, They are just old phones, that suck, and like 5 ponies have them apparently.

Well I asked Big Jim, he said "Nope. As far as I remember, it's only been seen with Discord, who has access to all realities, and non-realities." I them sent him that picture you sent me @Jeric while saying backround animation doesn't always mean canon and he responded with "right" so...not sure if that was him acknowledging the picture or agreeing there so... whatever, doesn't matter as long as relevant characters don't use them. 

[DonMaguz 1,023]

I don't think technology in Equestria needs to work the way it does in reality, we have seen some tech devices that should work on electric power. What we haven't seen is any electric power grid or a communications grid (telegraph/telephone lines).

Twilight's recording spell on The Mane Attraction shows us that magic can substitute our technology in Equestria to some degree. The changeling's magical beetles seemed to work as a set to perform a Video Conference with Chrysalis. We have also seen on Tank's helicopter set that magic can be conjured to make a device work and it will keep performing even without unicorns near it.

I think magical telephones are more than plausible in Equestria, maybe they just need too much magic for them to be widespread.

[sweetolebob18 728]

In Family Appreciation Day Apple Bloom fakes a telegram to try & keep Granny Smith from showing up in class.  So, they also have telegraph but no visible lines. IMO, they must use buried lines. This is doable but a lot more expensive. Possibly they do this because overhead lines would be hazard to flying Pegasi, especially at night.

 

If you think that is stupid, IRL when automobiles first came out (late 19th century) they had "red flag" laws. Someone had to walk in front of them carrying a red flag.

Edited September 28, 2017 by sweetolebob18

[Jeric 46,851]

You know, this thread marks a milestone. We have so many episodes it's hard to keep track of all the odd technologies on the show and make sense of them all ... 

 

I think we just became Star Trek. 

 

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

In  MLP Tales there was phones, and in an old commercial Twilight was by a phone.

[Castle Bleck 19,361]

On 9/27/2017 at 11:53 PM, Jeric said:

 

One can only imagine what they're listening to.

 

But if I may take a guess:

 

Edited October 9, 2017 by The Artist Formerly Known As A.V.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

On 10/7/2017 at 1:39 PM, Twilight Witch said:

Right here, actually.

 

Discord doesn't count, as Big Jim said, Discord has access to every single reality and non reality, he can have a Playstation 4 if he wanted too

He also said that backround animation doesn't always = canon

[Sly 236]

6 minutes ago, Ryanmahaffe said:

Discord doesn't count, as Big Jim said, Discord has access to every single reality and non reality, he can have a Playstation 4 if he wanted too

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I can only immagine him and playing together to.... uhm.... what kind of PS4 game could Fluttershy like?

[minimans12345 0]

 once again we have discord changing the anachronism of mlp g4

His banana phone starts ringing in class very loudly (like a normal old-fashion telephone, seems to be that everyone knows things about it as trxie replies "No fruit calls in my class"

revealed to be a literal telephone

 

and seems like they know how to answer it to. 

 

[KPackratt 293]

On 2017-10-07 at 10:39 AM, Props Valroa said:

Right here, actually.

 

Knowing Discord's ability to open up portals to alternate dimensions, he most likely got his smartphone from the Human (Equestria Girls) world.

[Morbid Curiosity 11]

I’m sorry that I’m coming to this soooo late, and I know it’s been brought up that background details aren’t inherently canon, BUT-

I would love to point out the old, dial candlestick behind Sunburst’s head in this shot from Uncommon Bond (s7e24)! I love the implication that Equestria does have phone technology, but it’s still in its earlier stages. Like rotary phones are the more common type of phone due to the candlestick being in an antique shop :3