Motorola is in the process of launching a new mobile phone, the e-398, in the Asia Pacific area.
What goodies does this new phone offer? Well it is the world's first GSM handset with 3D surround sound that plays MP3 ringtones and features technology that makes the device vibrate and light up in time with the music. As if that is not enough you can also remove the memory card and use the phone as a mobile musical device. Wow, shock and awe.
Like most people (of a certain age) I moan about the constant sound of mobile phone chatter on trains and in restaurants. I am the first to admit that I am being hypocritical since I am often one of the annoying hoards with the device welded to my ear. However, the thought of chattering being augmented by an audio visual light-show might be a bit hard to take.
What really interested me was the blurb from the press release. Stuff like: “Promoting its new handset to the fast-moving, tech-savvy and demanding youth segment”.
If we reverse these words we have something like “We are not promoting this handset to the weary, technophobic and easy-to-please older age segment”. I suspect that just about sums up how they see older people.
How about substituting the PR copy with cynical marketing speak? It would then read:”Promoting its new handset to the fashion driven, gadget-obsessed and cynical youth segment”. That has more of ring (sorry unintentional pun) about it.
The serious point is Motorola, for very sound marketing reasons, has added a few technical extensions to a phone handset and launched it as a new product. Well done Motorola. The things that motivate young people to buy new mobile phones are all to do with fashion, peer group acceptance and the other things that I just about remember. It has nothing to do with technology. For their sake I hope Motorola appreciates that fact.
Dick Stroud www.20plus30.com
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