In-Stat: Users Pack Redundant Mobile Items

A new research report from In-Stat finds most wireless users carry redundant wireless devices, including music players and multiple mobile phones.

Market research firm In-Stat says “conventional wireless industry wisdom” is that users want a single wireless device that does it all: phone, email, PDA, entertainment, and more, all in one gizmo. However, a new new market research report from the company finds that most users carry multiple wireless devices which often have redundant functions—and, furthermore, that users don’t necessarily feel they’d be any more productive if these devices functions were combined into a single unit.

According to In-Stat, only 43 percent of business users surveyed thought their productivity would be improved with a smartphone which combines telephone, email, and organizer capabilities. In-Stat also found that many wireless users consider extra capabilities offered with a wireless service to device to be a “gift” for subscribing or remaining with a service, and, while almost half of respondent believe owning a smartphone would let them carry fewer devices, most end up carrying a PDA anyway.

“Eighty percent of the people that have a camera phone say they regularly carry their digital camera, 75 percent of smartphone users also carry a PDA, and more than 50 percent of users of multimedia phones also carry their MP3 player,” says Bill Hughes, In-Stat analyst. “It is important to understand this customer behavior if the wireless industry is to offer commercially successful solutions.” Even better: some 15 percent of users surveyed carried two wireless phones.

(We’ve always held that the worth of Techno Road Warriors are not measured by the number of devices on their person or in their office, but by the number of power adapters crammed in their carry-on bags.)