×

SUBSCRIBE TO TMCnet
TMCnet - World's Largest Communications and Technology Community

CHANNEL BY TOPICS


QUICK LINKS




 

April 13, 2009

ABI Uncovers User Inclination for Touchscreens on $50 Mobile Phones

By Jai C.S., TMCnet Contributing Editor

ABI Research’s latest survey on mobile phone users’ age-related feature and price assumptions indicates that nearly half of the respondents in the 40-59 age bracket expect a touchscreen on a $50 mobile device.



 
ABI Research (News - Alert) conducted this survey in February, 2009, with a prime intention to discover what features people have on their phones, which are actually being used, and what features people of different ages expect to find on cellular handsets at various price-points.
 
The top features presented on over half of all respondents’ phones were a camera, Internet access, the ability to play music, to record video, to send and receive email, and to instant message. A significantly higher proportion of those aged 18-29 had these features, and some of a dozen others.
 
Kevin Burden, practice director at ABI Research said in a statement that this survey found the classic 80/20 usage pattern, where, about 80 percent of those surveyed used only 20 percent of the available functions.
 
The survey, Burden said, also asked users what they expect to find in phones costing $50, $100, and $150. Users of every age assumed that they would find Internet access, email, and music in phones at all price points.
 
“The older the respondents, the lower their expectations. We were explicit in our question: not what you want in a phone, but what you expect to find in it. And as age rises, almost every feature is less expected, at every price point. The only exception is older respondents’ expecting touchscreens in low-end models,” commented Burden.
 
Also, Burden said simplicity has proven more important than functionality in older age groups who tend not to have highly functional phones, and are not so clear on what they should receive at any given price point.

Jai C.S. is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Jai's articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Stefania Viscusi







Technology Marketing Corporation

2 Trap Falls Road Suite 106, Shelton, CT 06484 USA
Ph: +1-203-852-6800, 800-243-6002

General comments: [email protected].
Comments about this site: [email protected].

STAY CURRENT YOUR WAY

© 2024 Technology Marketing Corporation. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy