NEW YORK, March 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplicity. That's what consumers want in their new consumer electronics products. In fact, most consumers say the one product that will truly make their lives easier has not yet arrived, according to the latest Hill & Knowlton Consumer Technology Survey, administered by Penn, Shoen & Berland Associates.
Despite all the hype around consumer electronics, home networking and DVRs, it's the one product that is most familiar -- the ubiquitous mobile phone -- that consumers said satisfies their need to simplify their lives. In addition, 59 percent of consumers said they couldn't imagine their lives today without a mobile device.
"One of the most fascinating things we learned from this survey was not how much people relied on their mobile phones for placing calls and text messages, but that the desired use is to check the internet, share photos and send/receive information," said MaryLee Sachs, global marketing head and US chair, Hill & Knowlton. "People are really tied to their mobile phones, to the point where 22 percent said they even took their devices to bed with them. Now that's product acceptance!"
The other important consumer trend revealed by the survey is how frequently people are replacing their mobile phones with new models.
"The majority of consumers are replacing their mobile phones before the units are even two years old," Sachs said. "This is unique among consumer electronics products and a real opportunity to introduce new features and services to a public that is clearly comfortable with mobile technology."
The overall lesson gleaned from the survey is that usability, not just the latest technology, is what drives people to adopt new products.
"To drive that simplicity, however, will require significant advances in user interface and usability on these consumer devices," said Joe Paluska, technology leader, Hill & Knowlton. "We know this is not just a consumer fad and, as increasingly 'the consumerization of IT' takes place, these trends will impact enterprises in a significant fashion.
"As manufacturers begin to apply this logic to other devices and systems -- such as home networking, DVRs, and gaming and entertainment systems -- the more rapid adoption we'll see among consumers, and the more willing these consumers will be to upgrade when the next iteration of a product is introduced."
The survey was conducted online by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates between October 30 - November 3, 2006. The survey polled 1,000 adult consumers and the margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent.
About Penn, Shoen & Berland Associates
Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates (PSB) has nearly 30 years of experience in leveraging consumer opinion to provide clients with a competitive advantage, or more simply -- providing clients with Winning Knowledge(TM). PSB executes polling and message testing services in over 70 countries for Fortune(R)500 companies and major political campaigns to develop brand positioning, guide successful advertising campaigns, generate favorable publicity, and advise in crisis management decisions.
About Hill & Knowlton, Inc.
Hill & Knowlton, Inc. is a leading international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational and global clients. The firm has 70 offices in 40 countries, as well as an extensive associate network. The agency is part of WPP plc , one of the world's largest communications services groups.
