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November 18, 2009
Mobile Touchscreen Phone Keyboards Popular Among Buyers: Report
By Erin Harrison, Senior Editor
The results are in: A new industry report has found that mobile phone users in both the U.S. and Western Europe have a so-called strong interest in having some form of a touchscreen keyboard for their wireless device, whether it’s entirely touchscreen or in addition to other types of keyboards.
Strategy Analytics’ (News - Alert) wireless device lab report, “QWERTY/Touchscreen Phones Set to Dominate,” surveyed user interest levels in various types of mobile phone keyboards.
“Despite strong interest in a touchscreen-only device, or a touchscreen combined with a physical keyboard, the traditional 12-key keypad still appeals to the mass market segment,” said Christopher Dodge, an analyst with the Boston, Mass.-based research firm.
While the majority of Apple respondents are interested in a touchscreen keyboard on their next device, more than half of them would be interested in a touchscreen and a physical QWERTY keyboard, as shown in a survey of nearly 2,500 wireless users.
The iPhone is the world’s most popular smartphone with a 33 percent share, TMCnet reported , and is North America’s most popular phone having captured nearly 50 percent of the market share. Almost all smartphones have touchscreen functions.
“With interest in various keyboard combinations differing by segment, it is important for both device manufacturers and operators to offer a variety of keyboard options within their device portfolios,” added Paul Brown, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics.
TMCnet reported that the industry has seen a high percentage of people turning to social networks to communicate, recommend and seek advice for all kinds of information. So another logical reason for increased touchscreen mobile sales is that potential customers are convinced that the devices work over extended periods of time, are easy to use, and justify the price.
Last month, Samsung (News - Alert) Mobile announced it has expanded its portfolio of mobile touchscreen phones that feature the ultra-brilliant Samsung AMOLED screen.
The company had released Samsung Impression and Samsung Rogue last year and now it has added Samsung Behold II and Samsung Moment both running on Google’s (News - Alert) Android operating system to its array of touchscreen phones.
Erin Harrison is a senior editor with TMCnet, primarily covering telecom expense management, politics and technology and Web 2.0. She serves as senior editor for TMC's (News - Alert) print publications, including "Internet Telephony", "Customer Interaction Solutions", "Unified Communications" and "NGN" magazines. Erin also oversees production of TMCnet's weekly iPhone (News - Alert) e-Newsletter. To read more of Erin's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Erin Harrison
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