Mobile commerce at crossroads

Reviewer: Joe L. Podolsky

In 2001, the authors of this paper conducted focus groups involving nearly 200 active, urban mobile device users in Finland, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United States. This paper consists mostly of anecdotes quoted from the focus group participants, and conclusions drawn by the authors. The research questions were these: "What value do mobile handheld devices and services really offer their users__?__" "Has the promise of m-commerce been left unfulfilled__?__" The authors' conclusion was that "aside from communications services, m-commerce is not offering any new significant consumer freedoms for which they would be willing to pay substantial fees" (page 42). The researchers, however, also saw that these devices had substantial impact on "personal and family relationships. A few participants also viewed their mobile devices as essential elements of their intimate, personal space, having integrated them as part of their identity" (page 42). This led the researchers to observe that "mobile services can increase connectedness, but excessive mobile use encourages superficiality, indifferent behavior toward one's surroundings, the privatization of lifestyle, and increased opportunity for control of others' lives" (page 43). Thus, the authors conclude that device manufacturers have to figure out "how to better align mobile technologies with human modes of behavior and social conventions" (page 43). The authors didn't find compelling payoffs for service applications that make m-commerce viable. While this paper is interesting, its conclusions are old. Since 2001, we've integrated cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and cameras. Capabilities have soared for relatively stable prices. And, perhaps most important, we've lived through 9/11, and are engaged in wars on terrorism, putting a really different view on the value of being able to stay connected. Capabilities and needs are evolving rapidly, and to have value, studies like this have to be conducted often and distributed quickly. Nonetheless, the quotes from the focus groups are enlightening. A Finnish entrepreneur tells us that "mobile escort services would be nice so you could meet women who match your preferences...especially on business trips" (page 43). A young woman in Japan says, "I have some friends just for exchanging interesting sites. Our friendship is solely built on passing [uniform resource locators] URLs around" (page 44). The next-to-last quote in the paper encapsulates a truth, not only for mobile devices, but perhaps for all technology. A Finnish maintenance worker says, "My mobile can be a good servant, but it's a bad master" (page 44). Online Computing Reviews Service