SINGAPORE, 19 JANUARY 2009 - Fancy proposing to your partner over the mobile phone? Or using the same device even when one is eating with other people at the dining table? While these habits would be previously frowned upon, the way that these handsets have permeated the society’s lifestyle meant that things have changed.
A Synovate survey commissioned by Microsoft Windows Mobile revealed exactly how integral the mobile phone has become to Asians. The How Mobile Are You survey polled nearly 2,500 respondents in five countries across Asia (Australia, China, India, Japan, Taiwan).
Instead of being concerned about how the usage of mobile phone can cause interference to navigation systems onboard passenger planes, these respondents want to continue using their devices during flight. The survey found that a majority of Asians (58 per cent) agreed that mobile phones should be allowed during flights, with 69 per cent of these respondents stating that this would help them keep friends and family on the ground informed of flight changes.
Meanwhile, the survey found out that using mobile phones in meetings was acceptable across the Asian countries. One in four across markets claimed to do so. The study also reported that almost 80 per cent of Asians polled use a mobile phone while eating with other people.
Different countries, different users
The results demonstrated many stark differences in attitudes and preferences between mobile users. When deciding to buy these phones, the criteria of the respondents vary between countries.
Respondents in China, 71 per cent, and India, 65 per cent, said that the phone’s brand is important to them. The Japanese respondents are more concerned about the functionality of a phone, whereas 57 per cent of Taiwanese rate ease of use as the most important reason.
"This survey provides us with really interesting insights into the mobile usage habits of Asians and shows how entrenched the mobile phone is in all aspects of our lives. Asia today is one of the fastest-growing region for Windows Mobile smart phones, thus understanding preferences is extremely important in our endeavour to delight consumers and exceed their expectations,” said Natasha Kwan, general manager, Asia, mobile communications business, Microsoft.
“With the smart phone boom in Asia, we expect the phone will play an even more central role in people’s lives in the future, becoming a universal remote control of sorts,” added Kwan.
Indeed, the report found out that the mobile phone can be used as important evidence of a husband’s infidelity. Married women across all the countries are more likely to check their husbands’ mobile phone SMSes/caller history than men, with Japanese women leading the pack at 71 per cent, while nearly half of the Taiwanese surveyed would like to use the GPS to track the whereabouts of their partners.
