Features and Prices for the Next Wave of Smartphone Buyers

As smartphones become standard devices used by U.S. consumers, designers, retailers and manufacturers might have to rethink their assumptions about the target end user, and what those end users may prefer. Many devices possibly can be designed around the needs of the mainstream user segments that represent the bulk of the additional sales from this point forward.

On the other hand, the behavioral differences might be more a matter of degree than type.

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Perhaps newer adopters will use many smartphone apps less frequently than today's smartphone owners, but they will use them.

So it is possible that devices aimed at newer adopters will vary principally in price of the device and prices of monthly access plans, both lower than current smartphone users tend to pay. This implies that less-expensive devices will have fewer capabilities than more-expensive models. That might be more true of hardware features than software features. Front and rear-facing cameras might not be as prevalent. There might be less memory.

But the application capabilities should substantially be the same, if not identical to higher-priced devices, if only because most smartphone users will want to use the same apps as many current users do.

Features and Prices for the Next Wave of Smartphone Buyers