PIM Freaks Key to Mobile Enterprise Success

Between early adopting Connectivity Junkies and laggard Cubicle Dwellers, significant untapped potential exists in three key mobile worker segments. Understanding how these mobile workers stratify into meaningful segments will dictate winners and losers in the race for the next 100 million users. Based on its latest survey of cellular business users, Strategy Analytics has broken down the 45 million Western European wireless data business user base into five optimized demand segments: Connectivity Junkies, Content Creators, Connected Responders: PIM Freaks and Cubicle Dwellers. Each of these segments is mapped to critical user experience index attributes based on their need for attachments, satisfaction with displays and frustration levels with navigation on portable devices.

"Success in the future mobile business user market will be closely linked to the ability of device manufacturers, software developers, mobile operators and other value chain players to collaborate like never before in orchestrating, and effectively selling, premium user experiences," comments Cliff Raskind, a Director in the Global Wireless Practice. "With strong spending patterns, high interest levels in a wide range of mobile services and priority attached to being contactable, PIM Freaks are the next segment beyond the corner office to target for a broad range of wireless email and connected PIM tools."

David Kerr, Vice President of the Global Wireless Practice, adds, "A dramatically higher need for viewing and manipulating attachments is evident in the wireless email needs of Connectivity Junkies and Content Creators. Both segments are perceptibly frustrated with the navigation features and overall usability of current generation devices. Nokia is the lead vendor in terms of embedded devices among mobile workers given their historic dominance of the European voice landscape, but SEMC and Samsung are rapidly gaining ground."

Other key points from this business user segmentation study include:

-- Nearly 8-in-10 PIM Freaks and Content Creators select their own devices

-- PIM Freaks and Content Creators spend two-thirds of their time using the data functions on their devices in indoor domains ("at home" or "at work")

-- Over 70 percent of PIM Freaks and Content Creators use a notebook computer

-- PIM Freaks spend 13 percent more per month on wireless than the average business cellular user."

Posted to the site on 13th February 2006