Software Drives Mobile Purchases

Availability of third-party software products heavily influences user adoption of smartphones and handhelds.

Selection and quality of third-party software plays a role in nearly 70 percent of mobile device purchases, according to a survey from leading third-party mobile content provider Handango.

The issue of third-party software ranked third in the decision making process behind “need in my personal life” and “need in my line of work.” The survey also found active users of mobile content on their devices to be much more satisfied with the device they own. This makes them less likely to change brands as they upgrade over time.

“The rich data from our customer survey enables Handango and our partners – including mobile operators, handset manufacturers, portals and developers – to optimize content discovery, purchasing and usage, which helps us grow the overall mobile downloads ecosystem,” said Randy Eisenman, president and chief executive officer of Handango.

“This year, we’re also very excited to make a subset of the survey data available to the public in an effort to spread awareness of the desires and needs of mobile content users.”

Handango’s 2005 Buyers Survey says 71 percent of respondents purchased and installed more than five applications. That doesn’t include trials, demos, or freeware products. While the purchase figure is very encouraging, forty percent of respondents had problems licensing their new applications via the handheld.

Application providers should note the effectiveness of short trials as the number one influencer of mobile download purchases. If providers want people to buy, they need to let them try the software first.

David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.