In a new essay, the eerily observant Jan Chipchase studies a four year long survey by Nokia on people's phone habits. Among the fascinating facts of this worldwide research:
Women miss more calls because their phones are buried in their handbags, but some counter this by attaching uniquely textured object to the phones, making them easier to find amongst the junk.
Belt pouches, the mark of a man who still lives with his mother, are more or less popular depending on location, with the ice-cool Tokyo citizens coming in at 0%, LA at 10% and Ji Lin City in China coming in with a dorky 38% of males.
Those Tokyo citizens are pretty carefree with their handsets, though. The obsession to have the latest model means that nobody cares about their phone enough to use a protective case.
In Kampala, Uganda, 32% use covers. Presumably there aren't many free upgrade plans there.
Chipchase, always a thoughtful writer, opines that phone functionality should be de-converged and smaller components stored around the body. Zen like, he asks "When an object can be any shape or size, what shape and size should it be?"
I'd say Bat-arang shaped. That way I can wear it on my utility belt with pride.
Where's the Phone? [Future Perfect]
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