Mobile Phone Users Struggle With Hardware Adoption

Ian Lamont writes "A Google executive speaking at the Emerging Technology conference has described a problem that mobile phone carriers and manufacturers have been struggling with over the last few years: Users aren't taking advantage of many phones' hardware-based features. Rich Miner, Google's group manager of mobile platforms, stated that 80% of mobile phones being sold today have cameras on them, yet the number of people who actually know how to use them or get the images off the phones ranges between 10% and 50%, depending on the model. Miner listed several reasons for this state of affairs, including bad UIs and small screens, but added that the participation of companies with software expertise — including Google — would help increase usage of such features."

Join the Free world

[David Gerard (12369)]

It's obvious what we need: something that gives you the freedom you need, on an open platform, with full open hardware and free software, all the way down the stack, so that users can get the features they want, and innovative developers can create interfaces that let people take full advantage of them in the most intuitive and obvious way possible. The GNUPhone. Operated from the command line. [today.com]

People don't care

[Twigmon (1095941)]

The average consumer is not interested in learning how to user another device. They don't have the time or interest. I use my phone for all sorts of things: creating maps, navigation, photos, music player. A lot of the things I do with my phone are seen almost as science fiction by people like my parents.

The thing is though - if my parents were to spend the time to learn how to use all of their phone's features - it probably wouldn't improve their quality of life at all.

I can't see how more than 50% of the population would ever be bothered enough to learn how to use all of their phone's features even if they were dirt simple to use. It's just one of the facts of life that us geeks need to be willing to accept.

Re:People don't care

[hedwards (940851)]

I don't know about that, the real problem is that it's difficult to get a decent phone without a lot of extraneous features. I didn't want most of the features my phone came with, but there weren't really any decent choices which didn't have them.

I don't need or want a camera, mp3 player, date book/calendar or java interface is my phone, and I wouldn't have gotten a phone which had most of those features if not for the extremely limited options without.

But in a sense worse is that the camera, mp3 player and calendar are included but at least with motorola you're stuck paying for additional software if you actually want them to be at all useful.

Exactly

[Giant Electronic Bra (1229876)]

90% of the people never have a NEED to take a picture with a cell phone. If all you had to do was point it and say 'Fido, take picture, send to Jane' it still wouldn't interest 50% of the population, they just plain don't need or want to take pictures. If they really DO want a picture, they want a good picture.

So basically there are 2 issues here, one being people aren't all that interested, and secondly the extra gewgaw features on phones really aren't all that great. The cameras are mostly marginal to almost useless, etc.

Open source changes **nothing**

[EmbeddedJanitor (597831)]

Users don't want features. They want benefits.

They don't care whether these are free and open source or not - all they care about is getting what they want, at a reasonable price.

Taking the camera example, many people don't want to use a crappy (as many phone cameras are) phone camera to take a picture and then download it via a USB cable into their computer, or screw around with SD cards etc. Give them an end-to-end solution where they snap their pic and it automagically ends up in Picassa/whatever. That would make them happy so long as the cost of doing so is a few cents per picture.

Bullshit: very few people value freedom per se

[EmbeddedJanitor (597831)]

Who is this "we" you're talking about? You're a FOSS geek, not a typical user.

Typical users don't care if Google or MS or ATT have monopolies, so long as they get what they want at a reasonable cost. Nor do they care if their phones or sneakers are made in a sweat shop or whether the workers have the vote and have medical benefit, so long as they get them at a reasonable cost. Nor do they care whether Starbucks or Budweiser open sources their recipes so long as they get a drink at a reasonable price. Same deal with cars, etc etc.

Very few people really value freedom unless they are being personally hampered by it. Heck only around 50% of eligible Americans vote and they supposedly value democracy!

Still, even these Open Source phones are still closed at some level. Try to get the design files for the chips and GSM module.

Cell phone companies to blame?

[modemboy (233342)]

Or perhaps it might also involve the locking down of phones by carriers?
If you can't use bluetooth for file transfer because the carrier locked it out, it makes it harder to get pics off. If you can't use the phone as a usb mass storage device because the carrier is worried about you copying ringtones yourself, obviously getting the pics off will be hard.

That said, this "article" contains almost no useful information, so maybe Righ Miner had some better examples than the pictures...

Re:Cell phone companies to blame?

[by Anonymous Coward]

Amen! The fact that AT&T charges more for an unlimited data plan than I currently pay to browse the web at home on a real computer is also a joke. And then AT&T expects me to pay even MORE if I want to use my phone as a Bluetooth modem? What, do I get a higher data rate if I surf that way instead of on the phone alone? It's all a big scam just ripe for an upstart company to come in and undercut all of them.

Re:Cell phone companies to blame?

[TubeSteak (669689)]

Or perhaps it might also involve the locking down of phones by carriers?

I came here to say that, but that really isn't the end of the problem.

How many people do you know who RTFM?
Or even bother to check out the nooks and crannies of their phone?
(For some reason, the "settings" icon is always on the bottom right)

After a minute or two, I usually know more about the features of someone's phone than they do.

Re:Cell phone companies to blame?

[blantonl (784786)]

How many people do you know who RTFM?

Have you ever tried to read a manual for any cell phone? It is usually 200+ pages, in 5 different languages. With wire diagrams, keys to press, page after page.

Frankly, there is no need for an instruction manual. If a user cannot pickup the device and begin to use 80% of the features within a few days, then the user interface, the device, and the concept, is broken.

Lindsay

Re:Cell phone companies to blame?

[samkass (174571)]

My guess is that this article is just flat-out wrong. I know when I plug my iPhone into my Mac it backs it up, syncs all my contacts, music, and apps, and shows me a preview of all the photos on the phone and asks me if I want to download them in iPhoto. My guess is more than 50% of folks know how to click the "Import" button. It's true that most iPhone users are Windows users, but even there it's pretty easy to sync.

I think Google has selective attention that completely excludes the iPhone right now.

Re:Cell phone companies to blame?

[fiannaFailMan (702447)]

My guess is that this article is just flat-out wrong. I know when I plug my iPhone into my Mac ...

My guess is that he wasn't talking about iPhones. I use a Samsung..... something or other and I've yet to figure out how to get photos off the damn thing or how to lose that annoying 'ringback tone' that I had no idea what it was when I got it and now people don't like when they call me. Nor can I manage my image folders, there's no way to rename them or add new folders. And there's no quick way to delete the dozens of black pictures that it keeps taking on the inside of my pocket.

And when I go through the laboriously slow process of reading email on the damn thing, it won't let me see pdf or doc attachments. Bottom line: I hate the damn thing and I'm getting an iPhone.

US cell phone users maybe.

[Vandil X (636030)]

The International market has superior,interchangeable-carrier phones, open plans, and phones that aren't locked down or restricted in any non-fair use way. And they have case law to keep things fair.

For some US customers, pressing a button can result in opening an Internet application that charges a terrible data rate or something else that's both costly and unintentional. So some US users opt to just not try to poke around much beyond phone functionality and camera use.

What happened to just a plain old phone?

[jshackney (99735)]

Actually, I just want a phone. Not a friggin' handheld multimedia device.

Re:What happened to just a plain old phone?

[icydog (923695)]

That's great. Then buy one of the 20% of phones without a camera and quit whining like a grumpy old lawn patrol. It's not like there aren't choices available for you.

Re:What happened to just a plain old phone?

[lysergic.acid (845423)]

this banal argument crops up in _every_ single /. article about cellphones.

and the answer is the same every single time. as icydog and countless others have replied, there are tons of cheap phones with minimal features.

the only reason camera phones are so visible and common is because they're popular with consumers. it's useful having a camera on your person at all times, and most people don't need a $3000 DSLR for their uses. with point and shoot cameras becoming smaller and cheaper, it's simply more convenient to incorporate this feature into a device that people carry with them most of the time, such as a cellphone.

if you work somewhere where camera-phones aren't allowed (like a court house) then just select a phone without a camera. how hard is that? certain handset makers, such as Nokia, even have models that have a no-camera option. this CNET article [cnet.com] even compares 5 popular big brand phones that are camera-free (or have the option of being so). so stop complaining.

Re:What happened to just a plain old phone?

[JCSoRocks (1142053)]

Exactly. Maybe they should have also asked how many people even gave a rip if their phone HAD a camera? The pictures from cell phones SUCK. Mine obviously has one and I never use it unless I've got nothing else and I MUST have a picture (did that once for a car accident).

Re:good for you

[phanboy_iv (1006659)]

I thought that the point of the article is that they aren't? Anyway, I'm 21, and I really wish I could just get a plain old phone with cheap service. If I want to listen to MP3's I'd rather use something with without mediocre sound quality that's not tied irrevocably to some dubious music service. If I want to take a picture, I'd rather use a real camera than those useless toys they put on cellphones.

Camera phones

[Mononoke (88668)]

Rich Miner, Google's group manager of mobile platforms, stated that 80% of mobile phones being sold today have cameras on them, yet the number of people who actually know how to use them or get the images off the phones ranges between 10% and 50%, depending on the model. Miner listed several reasons for this state of affairs, including bad UIs and small screens...

How about the fact that cameras are added to phones as an afterthought, and they'll always suck because they cannot have useful lenses.

I don't get it...

[ivandavidoff (969036)]

"Google's Rich Miner has identified one of the biggest problems facing mobile phone carriers, manufacturers, and developers: The hardware on the current generation of phones is not being used by many customers."

Why is this a problem? Isn't this like fretting that 60% of Dodge Caravan owners don't use the rear-seat cup holders? Maybe people just don't want to take pictures with their phones.

I wish them well but...

[Gonoff (88518)]

I am probably one of the majority.
If I want to look at the internet, I like a big screen.
If I want to take pictures, I want 10 megapixels.
If I want to send someone some words, I want a keyboard.

My phone is really good for me speaking to someone. That is what I use it for. I could use skype on my laptop but the phone has a better form factor.

At work I find multifunction devices a bad thing. Scanners scan good, faxes fax, printers print and so on. Those clever boxes that do all three, never seem to do any of them as well.
If my phone plays music as well as an mp3 player, that's good but there are few other things I have seen mobile phones do as well as the original devices.

I don't @*&!! want a camera in my @*&! pho

[keraneuology (760918)]

The Samsung i730 non-camera PDA/smartphone is exactly what I need and want, but I need a replacement as it is showing the wear and tear. I want a smartphone just like this but WITHOUT A *&!*&@ CAMERA! I go in and out of courtrooms and secure facilities all the time. I want to keep my phone with me and I don't want to leave it out in the car where it could be stolen or - even worse - ring without me being there to answer it. Verizon refuses to sell me the phone I want claiming that Samsung and Motorola told them that such phones can't be made. I had an email exchange with Motorola about this issue: Me: I want a bluetooth-enabled smartphone/PDA without a camera. Verizon says that you are refusing to make one. Them: We don't sell cellphones. Talk to Verizon. Me: I did talk to Verizon. They say you won't produce the phone I want to buy. Them: We make cellphones very happy good. Me: I will give you money if you give me a cell phone that has the features I want. Them: ?Script_error

I don't think that the carriers are "struggling"..

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus (1223518)]

I admit that my situation is worse than many(el-cheapo-with-contract verizon phone); but I hardly get the impression that the carrier or the manufacturer are struggling to get me to use the phone's hardware features.

Verizon cripples bluetooth on all non smartphones they sell(headset only, no obex etc) in order to force you to buy media from their overpriced store and encourage you to use the phone camera to send MMSes. They don't package cables or software for connecting to computers with their basic phones(or even attempt to upsell you on such accessories). Going directly through the manufacturer and/or with third party utilities, it is possible to connect the phone to a computer, and with a bit of hacking I've heard tethering is even possible.

I don't mean to underestimate the stupidity and willful ignorance of users; but this is mostly the carriers problem. Their obsession with all-data-must-be-transferred-through-our-network-and-paid-for is particularly troublesome. If cell companies sold computers, you'd need a family plan and a SIM card for each of your peripherals. 10 bucks a month would cover your mouse's connection. Depending on how much you used it, you could pay for right clicks at 5 cents a piece, or 5.99 for unlimited right clicks.

Camera Phones

[MBCook (132727)]

Let's look at the problem with camera phones. I'm on my third, an iPhone 3G.

• Lens: The lenses are pathetic, but what do you expect for something that has to be 3mm across and 1mm deep. Don't forget they are made of plastic and usually designed to cost about $0.001. You'll never get a decent picture out of them. The best camera phone photos I've seen come from phones with standard hand-held digicam size sensors and lenses, which are closer to cameras with phone functionality tacked on.
• Sensor: Again, when your sensor is 1x1mm, you're not going to get good pictures in anything under bright sun. If you can't take a picture indoors, what's the point? Oh, right, you added a "flash". One small semi-bright whiteish LED is not a "flash".
• Getting the picture: The iPhone is great here. Plug it into my computer, and iPhoto imports it like any other camera. I could also email it. Yet with my Razr I either had to put it on the little micro-sd card, find the adapter and mess with that, use a strange program like Bitpim (not the friendliest), or just send it in an MMS (at a large cost to me).

Lets face it, things like cameras are crammed on the phone as a bullet point and no thought is given to how it operates or how easy it is for someone to use.

My mom has never used the photo function on either of here two camera capable phones (the previous one she owned, and the current). She can't get the photos off (would need a special cable and software) except by sending them for $0.25 each (or whatever insane price Sprint charges).

Heck, that's what my parents (and most "normal" people I've run across) have learned about their phones. They do neat things, and each one comes with a horrendously expensive charge. Phone calls are one thing, but text messages are $0.10 each unless you pay monthly. Web browsing is useful, except you pay $0.25 per KB unless you pay monthly. Games are fun, but they cost at least $5 to buy and most must be bought on a subscription basis (every 30 days or 3 months it's another $5).

Lesson they learned? Don't use the phone for anything but as a phone, it's too expensive.

Apple ...

[dindi (78034)]

I am a software engineer, just for the record, and I have to admit that most of my phones are HARD to use, they are painful, and they constantly have connection problems.

My last phone before my iphone (which I admit LACKS a lot of features) was a business edition $600 phone.

When I tried to connect it to my windows machine, I had to pirate bluetooth software, because the one that came with my various dongles (I have like 5 here) were .. umh.. CRAP. Then the supplied nokia software worked, then did not, then found my phone, then did not, then crashed, then .. you name it.

I know that according to many geeks and nerds an iphone is a toy, a shit, it lack function, and 3g and blabla .....

But I connect the thing, it downloads my pictures, syncs my calendar I can drag and drop music, and it just works.

Yes you guessed, I also switched to a mac, and do my office and freelancing work on a mac (mostly PHP, some ASP, some widget (yahoo, osx) programming and network/infrastructure/UNIX-Linux consulting) ....

Yeah you guessed, it is more for the UNIX for me than for anything else, but my iphone is my first phone I actually use to the limit, because it is not a PAIN IN THE ARSE to use...

Oh some people say it sucks as a phone. I am not sure, I make 2 calls tops a day, and keep them short, so not sure. It still rocks as a wireless device, and when a decent SIP client comes out on it and Fring, I stop carrying my nokia (which I use as a wifi phone at the office, as there is no reception whatsoever there (kinda like a basement in a hole under 4 stories of concrete. has big windows though :)))