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Mobile Phones Getting Complex?
Rahul Srinivas, Jan 22, 2009 1429 hrs ISTA majority of people found the task of setting up a new phone far more complex than migrating to a new bank account
While the ubiquitous mobile phone might have become an everyday tool, most users seem to have a tough time keeping up with the addition of newer features.
The addition of newer features to the mobile phones of today has definitely helped consumers to do more with a single device. From becoming cameras and music players to a personal digital assistant, the modern mobile phone is capable of performing any role under the sun.
However, along with the additions in these models of creature comfort, come the inherent complexities. As storage capacities quadruple, and capabilities increase, we are witnessing the transition of phones from mere communication devices to data centers, where you now see personal and even official data being stored on these handsets. Thanks to all these additions, users become so dependent on one device that they are at a loss when it comes to migrating to a new phone.
According to a recent survey conducted in the US and UK, most people (okay techies, you're excluded) find that using a newer mobile phone becomes a very complex and confusing task. The survey reaffirms the fact that in spite of the improvement in mobile phones (read: addition of features) over the years, for most people, a mobile phone remains what it is, a phone - a device intended for communication and for those occasional text messages. However, does that necessarily mean that most users do not want to use newer, data-oriented features?
Mformation, a global provider of mobile device management (MDM) technology, conducted the survey. The findings reveal that a majority (61%) of the surveyed people said that they found the task of setting up a new phone a far more complex process than say, migrating to a new bank account. A significant majority (85%) were actually frustrated at the complexity in the setting-up process of a new phone. An amazing 95% of the users said that they would try newer, data-based services should the set up process be easier. The surveyed group of people did not seem to be very happy with the fact that on an average, migration from an old phone to a new one is not usually a cakewalk. While the time taken for a "normal" set up procedure for a new phone averages almost an hour today, the users said this time should be drastically cut to say, 15 minutes.
Most users seemed extremely cautious/ concerned about the data stored in their old phones. The task of moving data from one device to another post a new purchase is usually not a very user-friendly process - a factor that is limiting users from changing handsets frequently. As of now, there seems to be no uniformity in the data backup/restore task, with each manufacturer having a different tool/software for the process. If that was not all, even these proprietary tools leave a lot to be desired when it comes to simplicity and ease of use.
Manufacturers could take a cue from these results and work on making the entire set-up process a breeze - even for the most tech-averse user. For the record, a whopping 78% of the users said that they would change handsets more frequently should the migration from one device to another become simpler. Most users found basic applications like instant messaging, e-mail, and picture messaging a pain to set up - due to which as much as 61% have completely stopped using these applications.
At the beginning of the article, we had posed a question, whether the average user is frustrated when using new data-based applications on the mobile phone? As it turns out, while most users understand the value of data-based mobile services, what they are unhappy about are the lethargic service activation and application initialization processes. Should these issues be sorted out, people are actually willing to use these services.
Do you think the current set up process needs a sea change in its approach? Do you see the need of a uniform "migration" application that will ensure that the transfer of data from one device to another, irrespective of the brand, platform, or the OS, remains a simple, two or three click process? More importantly, will this affect the way in which mobile phones are being used here in India? As we all know, a sizeable amount of the population is still at a loss when it comes to setting up and using data-based services.
Let us know your opinions in the comments section below or by casting your votes in the Poll on the Techtree homepage. You can also voice your opinion in the Techtree Forums.
The addition of newer features to the mobile phones of today has definitely helped consumers to do more with a single device. From becoming cameras and music players to a personal digital assistant, the modern mobile phone is capable of performing any role under the sun.
However, along with the additions in these models of creature comfort, come the inherent complexities. As storage capacities quadruple, and capabilities increase, we are witnessing the transition of phones from mere communication devices to data centers, where you now see personal and even official data being stored on these handsets. Thanks to all these additions, users become so dependent on one device that they are at a loss when it comes to migrating to a new phone.
According to a recent survey conducted in the US and UK, most people (okay techies, you're excluded) find that using a newer mobile phone becomes a very complex and confusing task. The survey reaffirms the fact that in spite of the improvement in mobile phones (read: addition of features) over the years, for most people, a mobile phone remains what it is, a phone - a device intended for communication and for those occasional text messages. However, does that necessarily mean that most users do not want to use newer, data-oriented features?
Mformation, a global provider of mobile device management (MDM) technology, conducted the survey. The findings reveal that a majority (61%) of the surveyed people said that they found the task of setting up a new phone a far more complex process than say, migrating to a new bank account. A significant majority (85%) were actually frustrated at the complexity in the setting-up process of a new phone. An amazing 95% of the users said that they would try newer, data-based services should the set up process be easier. The surveyed group of people did not seem to be very happy with the fact that on an average, migration from an old phone to a new one is not usually a cakewalk. While the time taken for a "normal" set up procedure for a new phone averages almost an hour today, the users said this time should be drastically cut to say, 15 minutes.
Most users seemed extremely cautious/ concerned about the data stored in their old phones. The task of moving data from one device to another post a new purchase is usually not a very user-friendly process - a factor that is limiting users from changing handsets frequently. As of now, there seems to be no uniformity in the data backup/restore task, with each manufacturer having a different tool/software for the process. If that was not all, even these proprietary tools leave a lot to be desired when it comes to simplicity and ease of use.
Manufacturers could take a cue from these results and work on making the entire set-up process a breeze - even for the most tech-averse user. For the record, a whopping 78% of the users said that they would change handsets more frequently should the migration from one device to another become simpler. Most users found basic applications like instant messaging, e-mail, and picture messaging a pain to set up - due to which as much as 61% have completely stopped using these applications.
At the beginning of the article, we had posed a question, whether the average user is frustrated when using new data-based applications on the mobile phone? As it turns out, while most users understand the value of data-based mobile services, what they are unhappy about are the lethargic service activation and application initialization processes. Should these issues be sorted out, people are actually willing to use these services.
Do you think the current set up process needs a sea change in its approach? Do you see the need of a uniform "migration" application that will ensure that the transfer of data from one device to another, irrespective of the brand, platform, or the OS, remains a simple, two or three click process? More importantly, will this affect the way in which mobile phones are being used here in India? As we all know, a sizeable amount of the population is still at a loss when it comes to setting up and using data-based services.
Let us know your opinions in the comments section below or by casting your votes in the Poll on the Techtree homepage. You can also voice your opinion in the Techtree Forums.
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deepak
,gaziabad, on Aug 19, 2010 02:29 AM
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pooja
,bangalore, on Feb 23, 2010 12:38 PM
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,Bangalore, on May 13, 2009 11:34 AM
Eugene P J
,Bangalore, on May 13, 2009 11:26 AM
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