Modern lives have become, in many ways, a ‘mobile experience’. We’ve become inseparable from, dependent on and emotionally attached to our devices to the extent that we feel lost without them. Whether for social media, banking, business tasks, buying and selling products, or for identification purposes, mobile devices are an essential part of everyday life.
Just ask yourself, when was the last time you went to bed without your smartphone or tablet within easy reach? This mobile experience is now part of everyday life for more people than ever before, as smartphone penetration has become more prevalent. By the end of 2020, the number of smartphone users worldwide is expected to hit 2.87 billion, meaning user penetration as percentage of total global population will reach 37%. In some ways, it’s unsurprising, as the barrier to entry has become lower as smartphones become more affordable. By 2019, it’s predicted the global average smartphone sale price will be lowered even further to $215. Understandably, this will be seen as good news by many, since connectivity is now often considered to be a bona fide human right.
However, we must ask whether smartphone innovation will continue to develop in line with the surging demand and increased number of use cases. Innovation is arguably beginning to plateau compared to the progress made over the past decade; we might even be witnessing the beginning of the end of the first phase of connectivity. What comes next will be crucial to how we shape the future of the customer mobile experience.
To help us all stay ahead of the game, and provide insights into what the mobile experience that the customer of tomorrow expects, we commissioned a global study, surveying people from three different age groups (15-30, 31-49 and 50+) in six countries (USA, UK, Germany, France, China and Brazil). The results are fascinating, and in places surprising, showing how mobile services must evolve and continue to innovate so that they can meet customer expectations.
We’ve captured these findings our new eBook: CONNECTED LIVING 2025: Mobile Customer Experience – A guide to exceeding the expectations of future customer.
Throughout the report, we explore the results, discuss the key findings and explain what they mean for service providers, manufacturers, banks and other industries. The report covers several overarching themes including future expectations about technological evolution, trust, the future role of devices in our lives, the omnichannel experience and customer journeys.
For a report summary, you can access our infographic here, which highlights key findings, such as how approximately a third of consumers never expect to visit a bank branch in 2025, and how many expect international roaming charges to become a thing of the past.
Do you agree with the findings in our report and our assessment of the results? Let us know by posting in the comments section below, or by tweeting to us @GemaltoMobile. And make sure you keep an eye on this blog for more information from our study, as we publish a series of posts delving into findings in detail, revealing the most intriguing expectations of future consumers.
Want to find out more about connected living? Come see us at Mobile World Congress 2017 – we’re at stand 2J29 in Hall 2; our team of mobile experts will be ready to answer your questions and show you how Gemalto is bringing trust to an increasingly connected world and to the consumers of the future.