One market where Symbian software has been put to striking use in recent years is the “Raku Raku” market in Japan. Both Fujitsu and Mitsubishi brought a range of devices onto the NTT DOCOMO network that were designed specifically to be “easy for the senior citizen to use”. These phones tend to have larger keys, clearer screen instructions, and less functionality. They can be seen as an example of the “less is more” principle: for some markets, you create a better product by removing features, rather than by adding more. The resulting simplicity of operation can have its own attraction. Initially launched in September 2004, these devices have been a runaway success.
As Tokyo-based Ray Tsuchiyama of Nuance explained recently on the MoMo London mailing list:
For some years in Japan there have been cell phone models specifically targeted for seniors: called the “Raku-Raku” phone (meaning “It’s Easy, Easy” as opposed to “A Million Apps and Buttons that you will become frustrated over endlessly”). This niche market seems to be adopting the phone — the phone models still continue to be marketed.
The irony is that a 40-ish friend of mine, a Luddite, acquired the Raku-Raku phone for his use and exhorted it to us as the perfect phone for his non-games/Web Browsing/SMS/Chat lifestyle — so there is another market out there (!).
Seniors’ issues include ease-of-use (not too small), simplicity, easy-to-see keypad, 1-button/press connections, simple and easy mobile search (in a the phone memory, for specific data, like photos of grandchildren or phone of doctor’s clinic, or video recording of college classmates at a reunion), SNS — keeping in touch with family or friends, and simple/quick access to security/medical/family. There could be consideration for some games that show promise for sharpening mental skills (prevention of dementia), or for language (speech) interaction to dictate/compose SMS, or even education and hobbies.
It should be noted that some apps (like predictive text software) arose from research for improved communications devices for disabled people (before full QWERTY keyboards), and research for better mobile devices for seniors holds promise in in improving the UI and ease-of-use for the larger population, in a serendipitous fashion.
I’ve noticed the same effect myself: some Japanese friends of mine who would presumably not care to be described as “senior” nevertheless choose Raku Raku phones for their own personal use.
I’m not aware of similar market breakthroughs outside of Japan – other phone models designed in a similar way to Raku Raku and achieving significant commercial success. However, it’s worth noting that a conference is taking place in London on 26th October, devoted to addressing this topic.
The conference is entitled “Mobile phones for the senior market, 09″:
The greatest opportunity for business exists where technology meets an unfulfilled need. Serving the aging population is both commercially and socially rewarding. Improved diet, healthcare and enviroment mean that we are living longer, more active lives. A growing demographic with its own needs and preferences.
The mobile phone industry, itself born in the 1980s, has been horribly ignorant of the needs of consumers twice its age. While the industry has been looking to younger consumers with areas such as meeting new friends, dating and music it has missed the generation which has used communication to keep in touch with friends, family and services for years. A generation which is older, wealthier and does not expect all services to be free.
There’s an impressive line-up of speakers. Best of all, there’s a happy alignment of dates: this event is happening on the day before another powerful reason to travel to London – the Symbian Exchange and Expo.
How important is the market of people aged 50 and upwards? Does this market segment need specialist products, or will products targeted at younger users hit the market with these older customers too? It’s a fascinating question. One starting point to read more about this issue is “Zoomer” campaign led by Canadian Media innovator Moses Znaimer. To quote from an article on 50plus.com:
Aging with zip: Media innovator Moses Znaimer creates a new way to understand the “50 plus”.
Meet the Zoomers.
“The population bubble that was the youth market 30 years ago is, today, the market I’ve defined as Zoomers,” says Znaimer. “They were the dominant generation then…they remain the dominant generation now. Zoomers are a growing, vibrant and affluent community. They look at the world with optimism; they are engaged and aspire to enrich their lives and the lives of their communities.”
From Raku-Raku in Japan to Zoomers in Canada, the changing needs of older consumers could well become a major new market segment. Since I’ve recently reached the age of 50 myself, I declare more than a professional interest in it!
One thing I have to say from looking at the offering of the companies (most of which are represented by the excellent line up of speakers at the Senior Phone Conference) serving todays senior phone market is that they all seem to have a very withering perspective of the ability for seniors to do new things.
Too many pass off basic mobiles as the solution to a seniors needs but I think this will only be the case until seniors are MOTIVATED to WANT a mobile device themselves. Whilst it’s quite easy to see the benefits in stripping away pointless functionality developers must not overlook the need to identify and serve a need before developing services that senior customers will want.
From my research into the senior market (during which I taught an 80 year old to text!) I found that many retired people don’t feel a need to pay an additional subscription because they already feel reachable enough. The fact that it would be easier for me if my grandparent had a mobile with them at all times does not equate into a good enough reason for my grandparent to want to change their behaviour.
IMHO simplicity just isn’t enough and this is shown in the fact that seniors pick up and master new pastimes and sports such as golf, but not because it’s simple.
…oh if you ever want to restore your faith in the capacity of a 50 year old I don’t think you can do much better than by watching a repeat of todays Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp which was won by 50 year old Irish jockey Michael Kinane riding Sea the Stars. Whilst I know that I could never be able to ride a horse like Mick, I bet you he’d have no problem mastering predictive text, updating his mobile social network, Video Calling his grandchild or checking his mhealth dashboard… if he WANTED to of course!
David, a very interesting point. The simpler and easy to use phone has never really attracted media attention, and that may be partly to blame why the mobile industry (which has it’s obsession with media fueled trends) has overlooked this entire segment.
I think there is value in offering devices that are easier and simpler to use with fewer features. We all know them as low end products, which is a very unfortunate label.
A lot of people I know have little background or interest in technology and just want to make a call. Unfortunately, such ppl often feel alienated and end up buying high end devices due to the sales push from operators and manufacturers. It just makes for poor consumer experience.
The irony is that the devices, platforms, channels etc for selling this exists today just it’s just a case of something that the industry as a whole should pay more attention to!
I think when Google generation turns 50 then “more is less”.
Which means addressable market effectively zero.
Actually, these phones do not look simple to me at all. And why would you need Symbian for a dumb phone?
[...] Symbian Blog Official mouthpiece of the Symbian Foundation Skip to content AboutNewsEvents « The next big thing? [...]
Why not use Symbian for a dumb phone? If you’re already set up to use it and you have lots of engineers who know it. The incremental license cost is now zero, and it’s capable of running on very low end hardware if you take care. Techview is still very small
Anyway, a simple phone doesn’t have to be dumb – just easy to use and the UI should be optimised for different things. It’s another segment where an open OS should offer good opportunities for collaboration and co-development.
Raku-Raku proves that the economics are viable, all we need are some brave manufacturers for the rest of the world.
I think these kinds of devices are temporary though, as the current generation who are used to mobile web and connected technologies continue to age, we won’t expect devices to just make calls. We will want devices which are easy to use and where the screen is clearly visible without putting our reading glasses on!
[...] example, let’s again consider Raku-Raku phones (which I mentioned in my previous post, The Next Big Thing?). These handsets are designed to give users a simple experience when using the handset. But the [...]
Thanks to everyone for posting a good set of comments.
The comments led me to write a new post in reply: “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity“.
[...] in London, Elizabeth Woyke writes in Forbes about a new entrant to the senior mobile market (“the next big thing” according to a recent interesting thread on David Wood’s Symb…) as kids phone manufacturer FireFly announce plans to reassign their focus to create phones for the [...]