Are Phones Getting Too Complicated To Use?

"The complexity of modern mobile phones is leaving users frustrated and angry, research suggests. Some 61% of those interviewed in the UK and US said setting up a new handset is as challenging as moving bank accounts. Compiled by mobile firm Mformation, the survey found 85% of users reporting they were frustrated by the difficulty of getting a new phone up and working. Of the 4,000 people questioned, 95% said they would try more new services if phones were easier to set up."


And we're not even talking about smartphones here - even most 'dumb' phones now have the ability to access email, browse the web, access on-line services, and handle third-party applications. The problem of course is that (pace Apple) there has been little progress in terms of making phones easier to use. Even enthusiasts can stumble on what should be relatively simple settings, much less some of the more obscure network settings (Confession: I still haven't figure out how Windows Mobile makes a distinction between "My Work Network" and "Internet" connections, and which one is used when). Back in the day, it took me a couple of hours to set up a GPRS connection on a dumb phone, and that was with automatic settings sent by my carrier as well as telephone assistance. Things have gotten better since then, but troubleshooting can still be a nightmare for the less-technically inclined. I'd like to ask our readers: do you agree with the research here? Would you use more services if they were less complicated to set up? Let us know!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7833944.stm