Ease of Use Tops Buying Criteria for Mobile Phones
Ease of Use Tops Buying Criteria for Mobile Phones
20th May , 2009
UK : MEX, The Mobile User Experience – New research has shown that the single most important factor for phone users when choosing a new mobile phone is its ease of use.
Asked to rate the importance of a range of criteria such as battery life, screen size and camera, 69% of users demanded an easier to use phone –higher than any other criteria.
The research, conducted by industry analysts Freeform Dynamics, is released on the day when the mobile industry descends on London for MEX, a two day conference dedicated to improving the user experience for mobile phone users.
Details of Research:
Freeform Dynamics interviewed 1500 people by telephone and online. Respondents were based in Europe and the USA. Asked what criteria was important in the purchase of their next mobile phone, the respondents top answers were:
Ease of Use - 69%
Screen Size - 61.4%
Coolness Factor - 61.1%
Camera - 60.8%
Range of accessories - 58.4%
Keyboard - 58.1%
Battery Life - 56.6%
Music Playback - 50.9%
Representatives of industry leaders like O2, Nokia, Nuance, Google and Sony Ericsson are meeting to discuss ways to improve the mobile experience for the more than 3 billion people worldwide who own a mobile handset.
“This is the fifth MEX conference but the subject matter is more relevant today than ever before,” said Marek Pawlowski, the organiser of MEX. “Devices such as the 3G iPhone have turned the mobile industry on its head in the last 12 months. A new standard for mobile handsets has been set and is proving people will spend money on a product that works really well. With devices like the Palm Pre also due for launch in 2009, we are finally seeing usability at the forefront of people’s priorities.”
“The research conducted by Freeform Dynamics for Nuance, a sponsor of MEX, shows that the single thing people care most about when buying a phone is how easy it is to use. This is more important that the battery life, camera, music playback or how “cool” the phone is. This consumer demand has to translate into better products and this is what we are aiming to achieve at MEX in the next two days.”
“The results of the study closely align with Nuance’s vision to increase consumers’ accessibility to a variety of mobile applications and services through its voice recognition and predictive search solutions,” said Philippe Jeanrenaud, Marketing director for Mobility Solutions in EMEA and Speaker at the MEX Conference. “With Nuance solutions aimed at simplifying the mobile user interface, consumers are able to more easily access the mobile services and applications that matter most to them – no matter where they are or what they’re doing. And that in turn drives increased revenue to our global carrier and OEM partners.”