WHEN WE WILL STOP CALLING THEM PHONES?

A few days ago, I stumbled on Luke Wroblewski’s infographic showing the evolution of mobile phone usage. The graph shows that the main device feature (voice calls) is almost unused. His post was titled “When will we stop calling them phones?”

In the next few paragraphs, I’ll explore how data can improve teams’ vision and design of digital experiences that unlock business value.

Drawing on this assumption – which I find correct, by the way – I looked at my personal Whatsapp usage statistics. I got confirmation that I use the “phone” to exchange data (text, images, audio and video).

The application burst, which facilitates and enhances our user experiences, has irrevocably changed the way we choose and use our mobile devices. Mobile phones have undergone a radical change compared to their initial use cases. Data traffic has significantly outclassed voice traffic.

OK, what does it mean “mobile phones”?

1. It means that we use our mobile phones especially to access the network and work through apps which are dedicated to individual use cases (eg instant messaging, use of audio and video)
2. It means that we use the device features that are not directly connected with the concept of “phone” (e.g. the light of the camera, the alarm)
3. It means that we exploit the potential of the phone through applications that subvert the use of the phone itself (eg. Radio control a drone)

Conclusions

These findings will significantly impact the next device generations. Mobile phones will be able to satisfy all these use cases, both in terms of hardware and software. On the other side of the mobile application, developers will be able to extend its “range” to provide its users with a more engaging and satisfying experience.