Before the Internet and smartphones became standard features of most people’s lives in the United States, people mainly relied on phone calls or letters to exchange information with friends, dating partners, and business associates. This earlier context of communication lacked:

Instantaneousness

Explanation:

Before the Internet and smartphones became standard features of most people’s lives in the United States, people mainly relied on phone calls or letters to exchange information with friends, dating partners, and business associates. This earlier context of communication lacked instantaneousness.

The early communication mediums required people going and queuing in phone booth which could take sometime before the message is passed across and the use of letters was also not fast. However, with the advent of smartphones and internet information is passed across in an instant, very fast and there is no delay. With the internet messages are transmitted via social media and emails in an instant.