Bad news if you're a mobile phone manufacturer trying to flog expensive new handsets. According to analyst Continental Research, users aren't interested in advanced features. In fact, when asked in a survey, 68% of respondents said they'd prefer a more basic phone that's easier to use and more affordable.
Continental has also been tracking what people say they do with their phones, covering 11 activities from downloading ringtones and games through to watching mobile TV. In eight of the 11 activities, a LOWER percentage of mobile users is doing it now than were 12 months ago.
"For some time now mobile networks have aggressively promoted various advanced mobile services, but this approach seems to be falling on deaf ears," says Continental's James Myring.
Continue reading "Mobile users "not interested" in advanced phone features" »
It's the question on everyone's lips. Well, everyone on this side of the Atlantic anyway. How much will the iPhone cost when it eventually goes on sale here in the UK?
Well, we've been doing some number-crunching to try and figure it out, and we think we've got an answer. The 4GB iPhone will cost around £325 here, while the 8GB model will cost £395. At least, that's our guess.
We based it on the evidence that Apple isn't keen on operator subsidies for the iPhone, meaning that Apple will be in charge of the price. Then we looked at the US-to-UK price differences of four other Apple products - the new iMac, the 30GB iPod, and the basic Apple TV and Macbook products.
Continue reading "Why the iPhone will cost £329 and £399 in the UK" »
It's been a busy week over on the main Mobile Choice website. For starters there's been a review of Samsung's new five-megapixel cameraphone, the G600 (pictured).
Check out the first impressions, a look at its camera, and the final verdict. Other reviews include the LG KE800 Chocolate Platinum slider, and the musical Sony Ericsson W660i and Sony Ericsson W880i.
Meanwhile, 3 announced the full details of its HSDPA rollout, including LG's nifty U990 five-megapixel camphone, while T-Mobile launched live Premiership football through a deal with Sky. And in a busy week for Sony Ericsson fans, there's also full details of the new K770i Cyber-shot cameraphone.
GPS satellite navigation isn't in that many mobile phones yet, but the
number is increasing. Over on the Mobile Choice site, you can read a
two-part review (part 1 / part 2)
of the Nokia 6110 Navigator handset, which includes Route 66 Navigator
software and a full set of UK streetmaps for getting around.
"We have to say it was hard to fault the 6110
sat nav performance during our test. Its route search and calculation
was slick and speedy, the voice instructions carried well in noisy car
environments, the Route 66 software was stable and although you could
argue the display is a tad small, it’s a small price to pay for a
convenient convergence package."
Does this mean thousands of motorists will be throwing out their standalone satnav gadgets and relying on their phones, though?
Continue reading "Nokia 6110 shows GPS mobiles could overtake satnav gadgets" »
