Teenagers and Smartphone’s (Samsung vs. Iphone)

Teenagers and Smartphone’s (Samsung vs. Iphone)

Anthropology and UX in Barcelona-Spain 2013.

By Anthropologist, Miguel Palau

Samsung vs. Iphone

Ethnographical observations took placed in the city. Focused in teens their opinion and actual possession and uses indicates that Samsung its considered as the main brand for innovation regarding Smartphone’s.

CULTURAL MEANINGS FOR SMARTPHONES, BEYOND USABILITY

These artifacts have social and cultural meanings. For them, has a value regarding its well being as a tool for “friendship”. Besides the features, the apps become the main concern in order to interchange information, socializing and leaving phone calls aside, the use of Viber and Whatsapp it’s frequent.

Innovation in essence it’s connected with the perception of time; the frequent the changes the better for the emotional connection to the brand.

Apple means minimalistc art= progress from middle class up
Samsung means social= more for less, able to consume more for value

PRODUCT, RELATIONSHIP WITH CULTURE

However features more important are: bigger screens but not beyond 5 inches in the case of female teenagers, more time lasting batteries in both sexes it’s a common requirement. Through multiple observations, teenagers need a system to recharge batteries. Not common solutions for this issue are simplistic such as acquiring another batteries to carry on, the interchange of charges its part of the social temporal interchange. Malls, airports and homes are places where this kind of situation becomes usual, including observations allow to see this in airports where some teenagers needs to be in communication with friends permanently.

CULTURAL RELEVANCE REGARDING FUTURE NEEDS

Teenagers in general used prepaid phone plans. In comparison with telephone regular access, the city offers points of free WIFI at least for 24 hours or in restaurants. Teenager’s looks to have access via WIFI instead the company provide solution looking for a fast way to download and share content. Through ethnographical observations with no interference, males teenagers take up the Smartphone or shake it as a way to gain better covertures when its not steady. In any case a delay in the communication could affect the appreciation for an application, especially in the social and chat categories. It’s inherent that teenagers lack of patience in order to wait for something that works, so they are interested and eager to receive speed and instant access of information.

It was considered at the experimental design that Iphone “hysteria” was an important element in order to see how sales where develop, surprisingly it was not true. Iphone, as a phone ots considered “out of” for most of the case I observed, in the other hand the most common brand and model are related with Samsung. As part of the information analyzed by this personal investigation teens manifested:

“What? And Iphone not thanks that’s it’s a Smartphone for seniors”.

This investigation it’s subject to copyright and its not under contract of any specific telephone company or manufacturer.

Copyright © 2013 Anthropologist Miguel Palau