As smartphone hardware becomes commoditized, smart accessories can help to provide differentiation, as well as potentially extending the life-cycle of devices. Strategy Analytics Wireless Device Lab recently undertook focus group interviews with smartphone owners in the US and UK investigating consumer interest in smart accessories, and found that they have the ability to optimize the user experience of a smartphone for dedicated use cases, leading to increased levels of satisfaction.
Consumers experienced 27 different smart accessories, and interest was highest in the Nokia Play 360 wireless speaker, Jawbone UP and HTC Rhyme Dock.
In order to provide value, smart accessories should:
- Be designed with specific use cases in mind, and they should provide an enhanced experience for that use case;
- Be wireless and portable. Due to their smartphone or tablet already being portable, participants liked the convenience of wireless accessories, with no need to plug in for power or use, making the accessory portable as well;
- Be compatible with multiple devices (not just smartphones) and across multiple operating systems is important. The ability to use an accessory with multiple devices also provides added value, with participants indicating that they may be reluctant to purchase a smart accessory that is designed only for a specific device, as they run the risk of it becoming obsolete over time.
The full report, including which smart accessories are currently being used, how interested respondents were in each of the 27 smart accessories evaluated, and what the highlights and lowlights of each accessory were, click here: Smart Accessories Extend Device Capabilities and Enhance the User Experience (subscription required)
- Paul Brown