Forum Moderators: open
It seems mobile phone users aren't that interested in using many of the advanced features - such as web browsing and TV - that operators have been pushing.The proportion of mobile users using eight out of 11 advanced services has declined in the last year, according to a survey from Continental Research which quizzed just under 1,000 people.
The percentage of users accessing the internet on their mobile phone fell from 14 per cent to 12 per cent in the last year, while six per cent fewer users were downloading ringtones.
UK Phone Users Not Interested in Advanced Services [networks.silicon.com]
I guess, like any such survey, there's always going to be an opportunity for inaccuracy. Although, i'm inclined to agree with the trend here.
Downloaded ringtones are usually rubbish, and require a £3 per week subscription or something like that. Besides, my mobile has a ringtone already? You don't see people downloading fancy MP3 bleeps for their wristwatch alarms do you?
As for using the internet, how many sites are compatible with a mobile handset? Also the cost (on my tarrif anyway) would put me off. I already pay for the digital line in my contract, and as I'm sure surfing bandwidth is only a tiny fraction of that of a voice conversation, they shouldn't charge extra. I can use the internet all day at home without paying anything for it.
And TV? DVD? Don't be silly. I paid a lot of money for a big screen telly and surround sound, why on earth would I want to watch stuff on a tiny 2" screen and crappy earphones?
It really does make the mind boggle. Just cos you can fit a TV receiver to a little screen doesn't mean you have to. What if someone invented a portable power shower that automatically gave you a shower every half an hour, would anyone buy that?
At the end of the day, a phone is a phone, and they should leave it at that. My phone makes calls and sends texts. That's all I want it to do. I have a laptop for watching TV/DVD without squinting at people to try and recognise them, and in addition I can now (usually) get free (and the entire) internet on WiFi.
Why can't they just let phones be phones?
[edit] I should make a note however that a phone with SatNav would be very handy, and much more appropriate than a phone with DVD player [/edit]
[edited by: Dabrowski at 5:17 pm (utc) on Aug. 20, 2007]
And you can get them now, if you really want one. Generally, they tend to be PDA-sized so you can see the maps - fair enough.
Alternatively, you could have one with in-built GPS.
I'm the same - I won't use my phone to surf the net: The screen is too small to be practical, the cost of the connection is too high and I would tend to bump into people while walking along watching video.
Much better to watch video in front of the widescreen TV from a comfy armchair, eh!
Much better to watch video in front of the widescreen TV from a comfy armchair, eh!
Mobile phones are for making and receiving phone calls and SMS IMHO. For me the rest of mobile features is a plain money making scheme by the Operators and manufacturers.
How many of you has got more than a dozen mobile features, and you only realize you have had that feature when it is not working anymore :)
People pay for the features they don't need at all.
Habtom
