Thursday, 21 February 2008

Current Converged Mobile Devices Fail to Compel Users

The conventional wisdom within the portable device industry is that consumers have a preference to use converged devices, meaning single devices that combine the functionality of previously separate devices, reports In-Stat.

However, the idea that there will be wholesale adoption of a device that simply combines multiple devices is unrealistic, the high-tech market research firm says.

According to a recent In-Stat survey of US businesspeople shows that users tend to remain loyal to older technology, and employers are reluctant to force the issue.

“On the other hand, once a converged device proves to offer additional value and technological obstacles are addressed, adoption progresses relatively quickly,” says Bill Hughes, In-Stat analyst.

“The smartphone is a successful example of a converged device where a single device combines a PDA computing device and a mobile phone. In this case, the smartphone offers a benefit to the user in the form of real-time data, typically wireless email.”

The study, titled “Converged Devices: US Road Warriors Start Cord Cutting” also found that:

1) One positive sign of progress in convergence is that 8% of road warriors, businesspeople who travel frequently, have given up a desk phone to rely solely on their mobile number.

2) Before employers can insist that employees use fewer devices, manufacturers need to address battery life and ergonomics issues for portable devices.

3) Many more users prefer to carry redundant devices than chose to have a single telephone number and a single computing device.