U.S. Public Stirred, Not Shaken, by Future Mobile Phone Possibilities

    Yankelovich Survey Commissioned by LetsTalk.com Finds that Americans Expect "James Bond"-Style Phones Soon to do Much More than Place Calls

    Almost 70 percent of people surveyed by a national Yankelovich poll said that in the future they expect to use wireless phones to send and receive e-mail and to use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) location-based services. According to the survey, commissioned by wireless superstore LetsTalk.com, a majority of respondents also expect to see features like digital cameras and Web browsers incorporated into their wireless phones.

    "Consumers are becoming accustomed to the idea of extremely sophisticated wireless phones that are equipped with features previously only imagined," said Delly Tamer, CEO of LetsTalk.com. "In the U.S, Americans have accepted the idea of receiving news and stock updates via their phones and pagers. This survey shows they are now ready for wireless phones with Internet and GPS access, imaging ability and more."

According to the 1,000 Americans surveyed by Yankelovich:

--67% believe wireless phones will be used to remotely access e-mail;
--67% believe consumers will use phone-based Global Positioning
      Systems (GPS) to pinpoint directions;
--63% expect to see widespread Web-browsing capability in wireless
      phones;
--59% expect that people will use wireless phones equipped with
      digital cameras to take and send pictures to family and friends;
--57% expect that wireless phones will allow users to conduct video
      conferences.

    Tamer sees new wireless product and service feature sets completely redefining how people use their wireless phones. Many advanced features are already offered in Europe or Asia and will be available in the U.S. market in the near future.

    Richard Siber, a wireless industry expert with Andersen Consulting, agrees. "As wireless phones become your remote control for life, it is only natural that users demand more capabilities from these devices," Siber said. "In Finland, wireless users are already experiencing the benefits of the advanced technology. For example, Finns can buy a soda from a vending machine or pay for the car wash using their phone and the charges appear on their wireless bill. It will become commonplace to use your wireless device as your e-commerce wallet."

    "As wireless products become more advanced and options more numerous, Web-based comparison resources such as LetsTalk.com become increasingly important to help consumers research and find the products that best suit their needs and lifestyle," Siber added.

    The Yankelovich survey also revealed that men are significantly more likely than women to believe that people will use wireless phones to get directions. And among all regions in the U.S., the Northeast came out on top as far as readiness to use the new mobile technologies.
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