We are rapidly getting to the point where the single most important medium that people have is their wireless device. These devices are with them every single moment of the day. Today, mobile phones are not only used for making calls, text messaging but have become the ‘portals’ that allow consumers to communicate, gather information, entertain and organize themselves.
Mobile applications for various operating systems are widely popular these days. They are available in various categories of Business & Professional, Entertainment, Security, lifestyle, health, travel and many others. They have changed the way people work, live and manage their lives, making it easier and convenient for them.
According to a report, in modern businesses over 60% of employees use mobile phones for work, between 20-40% use laptop and less than 20% use PDA. As professionals become increasingly mobile they require useful applications like eWorks Pro, Documents To Go and Agendus to stay in-touch with their offices, colleagues, partners, and clients.
It was pointed out in one of the Google event that it’s very important to understand the users before you make mobile applications. Mobile users can be divided into three behavior groups. First group is the “repetitive now” user who is looking for the same piece of information over and over again, like checking the same stock quotes or weather. These users are mainly interested in subscription based applications/services like “The Weather Channel” where information is constantly updated and easily accessible.
The second group of user is “bored now” category who has enough time on their hands. They include people on trains or waiting in airports or sitting in cafes. Mobile users in this behavior group mostly look for entertaining applications like FaceWarp, Bookworm, UltraIM Pro or fun mix of games like Sudoku Gold, Digich Solitaire 4Pack and many others.
The third group of user is “urgent now” and wants to find something specific fast, like the location of a bakery or directions to the airport. This category includes all travel related applications like MobiTrack2007, Spb Traveler, or VITO SmartMap that help travelers to stay in touch while navigating to the important destinations.
We cant deny the fact that mobile applications have opened up new world of possibilities for us in every sphere of our lives, but they can be only be useful if they fulfill the desired need of the consumer whenever and wherever he requires.