Issue 2/Q1 2013

OutofService?

In cooperation with:

RESEARCH

QUARTERLY

RESEARCH

2

EDITORIAL

Mobile World Congress is the world’s biggest telecommunications industry show and this annual event, held in Barcelona, is the perfect stage for companies to announce new products and services. Alongside the latest smartphones and mo-bile handsets, this year apps and services are set to be key topics of discussion.

Often with big technological advance-ments the needs and desires of users are neglected. These new products, apps and services become uncharted territory for some users, especially the older generati-on. But there are many approaches in this area that could make life easier for senior people.

The big questions that arose from emporia developing its services, is how we can make life easier for our audience and allow them to feel safe and stay connected with their loved ones? To help answer this question we launched a design competition for the 50 + user group. We received some great ideas and these were developed into our easy-to-use mobile phones.

However, from the competition submis-sions we found the 50 + target group not only wanted easy to use phones but also wanted to interact with applications and services that focused on their safety and wellbeing. On the next pages we outline the results of these findings. Eveline Pupeter

Eveline Pupeter

Traditional market research and user testing often only take place once product develop-ment is in an advanced state. At this stage only limited changes can be made, often at a high cost.In recent years mobile technology has develo-ped at a rapid pace, often ignoring the needs of older users. Whilst mobile phones are often seen as too complicated, technology can make life easier for the elderly and their families. But what do these people really want?

emporiaRESEARCH has taken a new approach to conducting consumer surveys by launching a “simply calling” contest. On an open online platform, participants were invited to contri-

bute ideas on the simple mobile phone for the future. Unlike other Open Innovation compe-titions, special focus was placed on the 50-plus age group to participate. Although this was the first online contest for this over 50s target group, the level of interest and quality of ideas was high.

The results of the survey proved interesting. In summary, the ideas fell into these top 5 cate-gories: • Security • Remote maintenance • Orientation • Medical Reminders • Weather

emporia RESEARCH – Creative ways for user oriented product development

Fact box emporiaRESEARCHThirty people are employed by emporia to research and develop new products and servi-ces. Using intensive user testing and detailed market research they keep in contact with the

needs of our target group. Emporia also works closely with research institutions such as Cambridge University, RWTH Aachen Univer-sity and the Johannes-Kepler-University Linz.

emporiaRESEARCH took these ideas during the development of its new range of mobile phones.

Reading out SMSReading out Menu

10 ideas

mHealthgames / trainings

14 ideas

Safetyat home

and on the way

35 ideas

Health Services:

Pill Reminder

23 ideas

Remotemaintenance

28 ideas

WeatherWeather Station

21 ideas

Orientation“Take me Home“

“City / Tour Guide“

24 ideas

Fitness Trainer“Pedometer“

12 ideas

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RESEARCH

DELOITTE Service is key

„Touchscreen phones and advanced feature sets often prove too complex. There is also a fear of expensive data rates, coupled with a lack of knowledge about the mobile inter-net. ”

“Service is key“ is one of the tenets of the Deloitte study: its research played particular attention to the market potential of older mo-bile phone users, with focus on the potential role of services and apps. Deloitte then ana-lysed the requirements of the target audience with regard to the mobile device itself.

The findings revealed similar important feature demands across both hardware and software. Screen clarity and adjustable volume were both important considerations.

Apps and Services – What does the customer want…?

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Customers also wanted a clear user interface; pre-installed, relevant applications and a help function. An intelligent emergency call func-tion is also valued.

There are some applications that could add value for seniors – but only if they are readily accessible and operable.

Actives Pragmatics Passives

• The „young“ seniors• Open to innovations• Think that new handsets

and telecommunication devices are important

• Get involved with new products and services

• „Middleaged“ active seniors

• Regularly use establis-hed mobile services and handsets

• Don‘t pay attention to new handsets and offers

• Don‘t like to invest time in new services and handsets

• „Older“ seniors• Only use basic services• Hardly ever make

buying decisions concerning mobile technology by themselves

• Often have physical impairments

Appr. 30 %

(Excerpt) Source Deloitte 11/2012

Hardware Software Apps

• Big enough size of the device

• Easy-to-read, big Display• Big hardkey keypad• Emergency button• Adjustable volumne /

hearing aid compa-tibility

• Big. scalable softkey keypad

• Un-cluttered user interface

• Suitable apps preinstalled

• Intelligent emergency system (with GPS)

• Help function with remote control

• Special content offers (radio stations)

• Tips for excursions/hikes• Local news/ events• Medical records• Geofenching / family

tracker

Appr. 48 % Appr. 22 %

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RESEARCH

CONJOINT ANALYSIS Services

...and what about the cost?

Pricing is a critical consideration when developing new products with added-value services. emporiaRESEARCH carried out research to assess the value that customers place on services and apps. 500 people, aged 50 and older were interviewed. The method used was the so-called analysis, a form of research, where product features are paired with cost estimates leading to integrated user decisions.

Orientation

„Find the nearest“Find sights, hospitals, police stations

and other important places close to you

„Home Function“Find your way home in case you get lost

80 % would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average of 2,55 Euro/month for it

56% would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average

of 0 Euro/month for it

OrientationAn „orientation“ function received signifi-cant support amongst respondents. A „Home“ function, which shows the fastest route from the user’s current location to their home, was favoured by 56% of respondents. However, they would not be ready to pay extra for it.

A ‘find the nearest’ function, which displays important points of interest like banks, hospi-tals, police stations and other attractions was desirable to 80% of respondents. For this func-tion, respondents are willing to pay up to 2.55 euros.

„Family Contact with GPS“Family members are the

emergency contact and can find the location via GPS

„Bluelight Contact without GPS“The only emergency contact is

a bluelight organisation. There is no location tracking via GPS

Safety

„Bluelight Contact with GPS“The only emergency contact is a

bluelight organisation. They can find the location via GPS

86 % would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average of 1,70 Euro/month for it

85 % would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average of 4,70 Euro/month for it

63 % would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average

of 0 Euro/month for it

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RESEARCH

CONJOINT ANALYSIS

Services

PicturesharingThe demand for using social networking service Facebook to share images proved generally low, with only 15% of those interviewed engaging with the service regularly. Although 61% knew Facebook and knew relatives who actively used it they did not interact with the service them-selves.

During the study we presented survey mem-bers options on how to view and access ima-ges posted by family members on Facebook from their phones. The ability to store images from the social networking site, on their mobi-le phone, received the most support with 21% of respondents finding this a desirable feature. However, they would only be willing to pay

about 0.81 euros for it. 19% of those interview-ed would be willing to pay up to 1.22 euros to be able to ‘Like’ images or post a comments. The ability to retrieve pictures from Facebook to their handset, leave a comment and read the comments of others only found favour with 18%. Moreover, they would only be willing to pay 0.56 euros for this service.

„picturesharing + like“Pictures the family posts on facebook are sent to the handset. The user can „like“

and comment them.

„picturesharing + interact“Pictures the family posts on facebook are sent to the handset. The user can

comment and see other people‘s comments.

„picturesharing + save“Pictures the family posts on facebook are sent to the handset. The user can

save them.

Picture- sharing

19 % would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average of 1,22 Euro/month for it

21 % would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average of 0,81 Euro/month for it

18 % would like to have this function

They would be willing to pay an average of 0,56 Euro/month for it

SafetySafety functions were highly regarded by those interviewed. 86% wanted an emergency func-tion, where family members can be stored as emergency contacts and called in case of an emergency, along with the location of the indi-vidual.

85% of respondents valued enabling emergen-cy services to receive a person’s location, using GPS, during an emergency. The same functiona-lity without the location only got 63% approval.The monthly cost that respondents would pay for this service varied. For connection to emergency

services using GPS location, respondents were willing to pay up to €5 per month. For the ver-sion without GPS location they were not willing to pay an additional cost. For the feature where family members can retrieve their exact location via GPS, respondents would pay 1.70 euros.

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RESEARCH

INTERVIEW Product Solution

emporiaMEA new way of communication between the generations.

Unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Bar-celona, emporiaME is a service that connects generations while also offering remote support for senior users from younger family members or carers. Ian Hosking, a researcher in Inclusive Design from the University of Cambridge En-gineering Design Centre, who helped develop the project, explains how the service simplifies communication and content sharing but still de-livers a support network. How did the concept of emporiaME come about?

One of the biggest problems of today‘s service landscape on mobile devices is that it excludes users that are put off by the complexity of many mainstream services. emporiaME aims to bridge this gap by connecting generations via simplified communication and also providing support servi-ces to run through the same platform. Users can easily exchange photos, calendar entries and con-tacts between the most popular smartphone plat-forms and the emporiaCONNECT; the platform also enables relatives of emporia device owners to remotely change settings on the CONNECT and/or access location-based services.

What sort of support does this service provide?

emporiaME is a powerful and innovative platform because it combines practical support and social interaction. Emotional features, such as sharing pictures in real time or shared calendars for fami-lies make the service intimate. The remote support provides help when it is needed and not when it is not. Through the introduction of location-based

services allowing the current position of the CON-NECT user to be displayed in the emporiaME smart-phone app, safety monitoring becomes a reality.

What level of intrusion can a senior user expect from family member or carer?

The team working on emporiaME put a lot of effort into creating a service that is helpful and not intrusive. All connections are established from the emporia device, ensuring that privacy-related set-tings are kept to a minimum while guaranteeing that users of the service never allow access to their device without approval. Notifications are kept to a minimum whilst all important messages - whether from the emporia device to the smartphone or vice versa - are delivered in a timely fashion. The service is aimed at improving established communication channels and generating more cross-generational communication.

How important is the carer’s or family member’s role in this service?

A key aim of the service is to provide support between the user of the service (the emporia-CONNECT owner) and his or her younger contacts using emporiaME. emporiaME gives carers and family members a more direct way of solving the technical challenges older users may face while enabling more direct communication between ge-nerations

This is emporia’s answer to the current telecommu-nications structure. Instead of ignoring the chances modern technology has to offer, emporiaME makes them available to all by making them easily usable for all.

Ian Hosking, researcher at the University of Cambridge develops solutions for people in their second half of live, making sure they can profit from modern technology as well.

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RESEARCH

TRANSFERProduct Solution

As smart as needed, as simple as possible.emporiaCONNECT with

Thomas (43)

Uses: Smartphone

Most UsedMobile Services

Homescreen with all relevant informations

E-mail

SMS

Taking Photos

Sozial Network Apps

Location Based Services

Listening to music

Catherina (72)

Uses: emporia Phone

Most UsedMobile Services

SMS

Organizer Functions

MMS

SMS Info Service

Local weather forecast

Priority button for pictures

One button, one function

Collaborative Picture Viewing

Remote Phone book

Calendar entries and reminders

Brain gym

Security / Localisation

A

One button kamera

Orientation

Clamshell factor

emporiaME is the perfect connection between the generations, including generations of handsets. It has never been so easy to share pictures and calendar entries.

eMEeMMEE 4CARE4CCAARREE

INQUIRE ASK

RESEARCH

Imprint: emporia Telecom Produktions- und Vertriebs GesmbH & CoKG, Industriezeile 36, A-4020 Linz - Austria

My „Super Senior“Being close to customers, listening and showing an interest in their particular needs is important to emporia Telecom – „close to the customer“ is our motto. That‘s why the „my super senior“ pro ject was started. emporia employees regularly meet a repre-sentative of the target group and discuss the topics of mobile phones and tele-phoning.

Michael Rabenstein (39) Director Services emporia Telecom

Pub or online chat? How do you keep in touch with your friends?

I would say both, although of course with work and family I have much less time for regular „guy’s nights out“. Digital media offers an op-portunity to stay in touch between face to face meetings.

How do you share important news with your family?

I write an e-mail containing all the important information. This way they all got the same le-vel of information and can also reread it later. If something is really important, I call afterwards.

What message made you happy lately? How did it reach you?

My daughter regularly sends me photos from her daily live via What‘s App. She is now almost 14 years old, I‘m sure the frequency of the messages will decrease soon! That‘s why every one makes me happy!

When you were little, how did you share news with your grand-father?

Every time my grandfather came to visit, we told each other our news, mostly during dinner or over coffee, when we were all gathered around the table.

Are there moments when you feel safer with a mobile phone?

For me, not really, but if my children are alone somewhere, I feel safer with it. Likewise with my father, just knowing they are available to talk to makes me more confident.

Easy Communication: What does that mean for you?

To always use the right medium. In a meeting, for example this is text messages, on business trips e-mail, Skype or Facebook. In my free time I prefer phone calls.

Michal Rabenstein (72), retired

Pub or online chat? How do you keep in touch with your friends?

Actually, I‘d like to say pub, but a lot of my friends live in Prague so it is hard to meet regu-larly. My son has got me a lot of things so I can reach them more easily. I now have a computer and an iPad. I write e-mails and make phone

calls on the computer. But I am glad that my son has helped me. It all seems very complicated.

How do you share important news with your family?

I‘ll call, some things cannot be done with the new devices. They are fun but should not repla-ce talking.

What message made you happy lately? How did it reach you?

My grandson has just shown me his report card. He is proud of his grades. Of course he told me this personally and presented the report card.

How do you communicate with your son and grandkids?

My grandchildren play around with all these modern things, Facebook and email and so on. I get messages from them and I especially like the pictures. I always write back right away. But best of course is, when they come to visit me.

Are there moments when you feel safer with a mobile phone?

I have a house about 90 miles from Vienna. If I‘m there by myself, I feel better if I have my phone with me. So I can quickly call someone if something is up or I get bored.

Easy Communication: What does that mean for you?

When it just works! I do not want to have to deal with all the settings and security

matters. Nevertheless, I think it is im-portant that they are there. After all, one constantly reads about privacy issues in the papers.