Mobile app take-up 'hindered by phone usability'

20th January 2009

The take-up of mobile applications by UK and US consumers is being hampered by a lack of usability in many sophisticated handsets, new research has indicated.

Carried out by Coleman Parkes for Mformation, the survey of 4,000 people in both countries found that 88 per cent of consumers would be more likely to experiment with new mobile apps if they were able to set these up more easily.

Almost half of respondents said they found it difficult to get going with mobile email services, with 40 per cent saying the same for web browsing and 30 per cent doing so for instant messaging.

"Subscribers are clearly convinced of the value of mobile services. However, 85 per cent of the people we surveyed find it frustrating to have to go through a number of steps when they want to activate a service or application," commented Matthew Bancroft, vice-president of Mformation.

Apple recently revealed that users of its iPhone and iPod Touch products have made 500 million downloads from its App Store since its launch last summer.