27 November 2008
Growth in the availability of smartphones is making consumers more aware of what their mobile phones can do, it has been claimed.
According to the research director for telematics and navigation at ABI Research, people are beginning to realise that their handsets allow them to do much more than call and send texts.
For example, some mobile phones come with GPS capabilities, while others can access the internet and transfer data via Bluetooth technology, Dominique Bonte explained.
"There is increasing interest in using handsets for GPS navigation-based solutions, but we certainly should not overestimate it," he remarked.
According to the 2008 Digital Entertainment Survey by Entertainment Media Research, 62% of consumers own a mobile phone with internet access.
Furthermore, 21% use Bluetooth capabilities regularly, while 24% use them occasionally.
The survey also shows that 11% of people questioned own a smartphone such as a Nokia N95 or an Apple iPhone and 12% intend to buy one in the future.