Gen X choose functionality over looks

India will soon become a Nation of mobile users. The steadily increasing mobile using population expands due to the ever increasing usage by the youth. A recently completed IDC study confirms that mobile users perceive they derive one of the following sets of benefits from using mobile phones – safety and security, productivity and convenience, or style and status. Gen X is anxious to find out what their mobiles do for them and what handset models are popular.

Nowadays students of Class 7th and 8th own a mobile phone. A cousin of mine has recently purchased a Nokia 6085. This flip phone has a FM Radio that he really likes. He also likes the look of the handset. To him, it is just a way of keeping in touch with his friends.

Another cousin has a Nokia 6030 handset that supports 10 Indian languages and is an unpretentious handset that has easy-to-use functions. He has opted for BSNL as his service provider because he claims, “Government service is the best.” His mobile is useful to keep in touch with his friends.

Over the weekend, I noticed a bunch of teenagers hanging out in a Mall in the middle of the afternoon, these bunch of students who were clearly bunking classes agreed in unison that the looks of the mobile is important but as long as they sustain on a shoe string pocket money paid by their parents, they would rather opt for simple handsets.

In a study recently conducted it was found that males, more than females, rate style and status as important mobile phone benefits while females regard safety and security as more valuable. A friend who is a BA student at a leading city college would like to a Nokia N series, “because it looks so cool. But I have to wait till I start earning,” he rues.

While convenience stands on top of the benefits of the mobile for these youngsters, they are also style and status conscious, pocket permitting!!

Written by: Neha Gupta