E-Mail, Internet, Camera Top List Of Most Desired Mobile Phone Features

PRINCETON, NJ – Long gone are the days when the average mobile phone user was content with a built-in camera alone. According to a new study from ORC, an Infogroup Company, (NASDAQ: IUSA) one-fifth of Americans now own a multi-function smartphone.

Of the 29 percent of Americans who currently own the device or have plans to purchase one in the coming year, the top three “must have features” were cited as follows: e-mail (85%), Internet browser (78%) and digital camera (73%).

GPS appears to be a differentiator that might bring additional consumers to the smartphone market, with 73 percent of smartphone intenders listing this as a “must have” (compared to only 55 percent of early adopters).

In addition to specific features of the phone itself, seven in ten (72%) respondents are looking for a fast 3G or 4G network. Awareness of the latest 4G network is still building among those not already using a smartphone (41%), and among smartphone users who would already be equipped to take advantage of the increased bandwidth, awareness is nearly doubled at 81%.

“While having a smartphone with lots of features is certainly an important selling point for mobile operators to promote, they must also recognize user’s need for speed,” said Manuel Flores, Vice President and Director of ORC’s Technology Market Insights Practice. “With Verizon and AT&T loudly fighting about the scope, quality and speed of their 3G networks, Sprint, and its partner Clearwire, has apparently been listening to their consumers and has somewhat quietly begun to deploy its faster 4G network."

To date, the US smartphone market is dominated by the messages of two key players (Blackberry – 32 percent and Apple – 21 percent) and a disparate set of market share seekers (a combined total of 42%) which includes Palm (6%), LG (5%), Samsung (4%), HTC (4%), Motorola (3%), and Nokia (3%).

“A reasonably comprehensive range of features and functionality will continue to drive buying habits of current and future smart phone owners,” Flores said. “With Blackberry and Apple prevailing as the dominant players in the smartphone market by a significant margin, those device manufacturers who are a little further down on the food chain should strive to keep on top of changing consumer preferences and aim to exceed those expectations in order to stay competitive."

Source: ORC