Desirable Mobile Services for the Future

Info-Plant has issued a very interesting report on mobile-phone usage in Japan focusing on ‘Desirable Mobile Functions and Services’. Data was collected via a nationwide survey of mobile phone users from the networks of NTT DoCoMo, KDDI/au, and Vodafone and valid responses were received from 7,905 users. Questions asked what mobile phone functions or services were used regularly and respondents were asked to list the services or functions they would like to see added to mobile phones in the future (log in for details).

Survey Results Overview

In terms of regularly used functions and services for mobile phones, 80%
of users cited the alarm clock, still camera, and ring tones. More than
half reported using the bar code -reading function of their phone.

Looking at the services and functions used regularly on mobile phones,
85.4% cited their alarm clock function, followed by the still image
camera (83.3%) and ringing tones (81.6%). Looked at by gender, the most
popular functions were the still image camera (female: 88.3%, male:
74.6%), calculator (female: 85.8%, male: 69.6%), infrared port (female:
51%, male: 37.6%), video camera function (female: 47.4%, male: 35.5%),
deco mail (female: 46.4%, male: 22.8%), with females scoring more than
10 points higher than males in all areas. By contrast, men showed higher
usage with non-game i-appli and the mobile wallet function.

Looked at by gender and age, usage was highest among both males and
females in the younger groups for infrared, the barcode reader (QR
code), remote control, music playback, chaku uta (R) ringing tunes and
chaku motion, games, non-game i-appli, and deco mail. In particular,
teen usage was highest for infrared communication, music playback and
chaku uta(R) ringing tunes and chaku motion. In addition, usage of deco
mail was highest among female teens.(Table 1)

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Desirable Mobile Functions and Services: TV, GPS Navigation, and
Transportation and Rail Tickets

When asked to respond freely about the types of services people would
like to see added in the future, the greatest number were interested in
mobile TV, followed by GPS navigation, and transportation and rail
tickets, many of which are already in existence or at the top of the
list of services under development. Also listed were using the phone as
a replacement for keys, insurance, driving or personal identification,
and an anti-theft alarm, all things which one customarily carries around
or might be in need of. In addition, other common answers included a
radio, dictionary, solar charger, and a mirror.

In addition, among the less popular responses were requests for
additional functionality, including a variety of customization features,
such as confirmation when email has been read by a recipient, a phone
which can be used in a hospital, one which gives off a scent, acts like
an air conditioner, or even jump starts a car.
(Table 2)

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Questions:
1) Please select all the functions or services on your mobile phone that
you use regularly.

2) Please list up the services or functions you would like to see
added to mobile phones in the future

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Survey method: Open Survey on the i-mode Tokusuru menu
Survey period: Dec. 12 - Dec 23 2005
Valid responses: 7,905
Rate of valid response by gender: male 37.0%, female 63.0%
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Q1) Please select all the functions or services on your mobile phone
that you use regularly.

(By Gender/Age)

Q2)Please list up the services or functions you would like to see added
to mobile phones in the future

<1-10>

<11-20>

<21-30>

Source: D2C Communications