In a world of smartphones, technical specifications, powerful processors and crazy megapixel wars, one question has been haunting me continuously for a few months: how much do style and color matter? If I rephrase this, I’d say: should manufacturers improve their handset’s style and offer more funky color variants, especially for their high-end devices in order to increase their reach and popularity?
If you asked me this some 7 months ago, when I was back in Lebanon, I would’ve hesitated and probably ended up saying No, as the Lebanese customer cares more about getting the newest and most expensive handset, somewhat regardless of the style and functions. But Lebanon is a small market, and one where all handsets are unlocked, unsubsidized and independent from operators. My opinion was biased by being based on a small demography.
Shift forward 7 months spent in one of the trendiest cities in the world, Paris, which equal to ~210 days of closely observing millions of French mobile users in the subway and on the street, and my answer is a definite Yes. Style and colors really make a difference. Beside the N95 and N95 8GB which seem to be very well known by the french populace as über-advanced handsets, no other Symbian device has any kind of popularity here. On the other hand, S40 devices, Samsung sliders with tons of color variants, iPhones and HTC Diamonds are selling like hotcakes. Let’s look into that equation closely.
What I have noticed, as general rule, is that people seem to look for small stylish devices, that offer some sort of personal differentiation (color, mainly). This explains the high popularity of S40 handsets, especially music-oriented ones, but it is also specifically true when it comes to the female audience and explains the awkward (at first, to me) but undoubted popularity of Samsung with Parisian women. I can’t count how many pink, purple and red Samsung branded devices I have seen here.
The third part of the popularity equation is the one that surprised me the most: the HTC Touch Diamond and the iPhone, or in other words the iPhone and the iPhone wannabe (sorry Windows Mobile fans, but in Paris, I’ve noticed that the Diamond is the iPhone alternative for those who can’t afford it: same form factor, but cheaper and available on cheaper contracts). Say what you want about the iPhone, there’s no denying that it disrupted the mobile ecosystem. It isn’t small by any standard, it isn’t very customizable externally, so it doesn’t fit the two important decision factors for customers, yet it is really popular. Brand and marketing aside (to be discussed in another post), the iPhone introduced one important feature: style. It looks sexy, it seems expensive, it feels powerful. What the iPhone changed is that it took average Joe out there, reached him with its style then made it cool for him to be a smartphone geek.
That last sentence is the one that brings me back to my question: “Should manufacturers improve their handset’s style and offer more funky color variants, especially for their top-of-the-line device in order to increase its reach and popularity?” Yes they should. If Nokia and Samsung want to improve Symbian’s popularity, a good strategy would be to take their high-end handset, make it highly sexy, build it well, and provide it in different color schemes. It’s like a bait in a fishing game: throw it in and wait for the fish to get caught.
Right now, I’m afraid, Symbian devices lack that sparkling wow factor that could attract casual users. Here’s a case scenario: a few months ago, my friend was looking for a new handset and asked me for advice. I did EVERYTHING I could to convince her to get an S60 phone (namely E66, 6220 Classic or 6210 Navigator), she just didn’t want them. She wanted a girly phone, and eventually settled for the 7610 Supernova in white and purple. Now mind you, her decision wasn’t fast and irresponsible: she detailed every aspect of the spec sheet, she scoured the internet reading reviews and checking sample pictures and videos taken by its camera. Even for someone like her, who is willing to search for the better product and to spend time understanding the full spec sheet and comparing it with other products, no S60 device could have some appeal. The lack of style was the one and only prohibiting factor.
If you’re reading Symbian-Guru now, chances are you’re one of the few persons who care more about the internal specifications than about the external looks of a handset, but look around you and tell us what you think. Does handset style matter to your surroundings? What about color? Have you come across a situation where you couldn’t get someone to switch to S60 just because you couldn’t find an S60 handset sexy enough to appeal to them?
