The Hindu Business Line : ‘My mobile is me’

India is one of the world’s hottest mobile design locations today. Read on for what handset makers think of design in India, how they track trends and make gadgets that reflect your personality and needs and end up in your pocket.

“When a buyer walks into a shop, he will first look for the brand on his mind and then the look — is there a new or different looking mobile on the shelf?”

Bijoy Ghosh

Capturing my needs.

Preethi J

Is your mobile a grey, boxy, off-the-shelf commodity?

It has personality; it reflects your style and sometimes your profession. It is flaunted as proudly and used extensively.

Designing handsets is an exciting creative field that keeps new pace with fashion and changing lifestyles, while evolving to build smarter, easier-to-use handsets.

EVOLUTION

If handsets were alive, then there would be species and sub-species that would look dissimilar, have diverse uses and even belong to different economic strata!

“Phones have evolved from the cordless bricks of yesteryear. Their size, colour, material, design and usage — many things have changed,” emphasises Lloyd Mathias, Director of Marketing, Motorola, the second largest handset maker.

While there still remain handsets that look like, but weigh more than, a pencil box (the Nokia Communicator is one such), there are now handsets that are knife-thin or rounded and even tiny enough to fit into your pocket. The Razr, with its sleek and long body, broke the trend of clunky, and box-like mobiles. The slinky Samsung U100 (with a width of 5.11mm) attracted buyers while Panasonic’s pocket-sized handset caught the eye a few years ago.

“With new innovations happening each day, the mobile handset industry has evolved tremendously,” says Sudhin Mathur, GM, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications.

The traditional black or silver paint has given way to gold, pink and even retro-styled multi-coloured panels that can be replaced at will. Materials have changed from plastic to metal, permutations of contrasting materials and even precious stones.

“Innovation has many catalysts and a new look can spawn from new materials and manufacturing processes,” says Frank Nouvo, Designer, Vertu, a luxury handset maker known for its ‘haute’ handsets. Its latest mobile, the Ascent Ferrari, has a titanium chassis and is encased in red and black Ferrari leather with black lacquer stripes running at the sides. It sells for a whopping Rs 3.89 lakh. The Signature line, which will leave your savings lighter by Rs 40 lakh, flaunts 18 Carat diamonds, pink sapphires and rubies. “Our handsets are associated with style, highly specialised materials and precision manufactured components,” is the suave justification.

HOW IT MOVES, FEELS, LOOKS and WORKS

“In the earlier, prehistoric age of handset design, the only modifications made were to the casings (different colours would be experimented with) and the backlight. The next shift brought in the candy bar phone, followed by the flip and slider phone,” says Ish Bawa of BenQ India. Candy bar refers to the overall shape of the phone, which resembles a chocolate bar.

India has been traditionally a candy bar market but flip phones are now in. “That is probably an influence of Bollywood, with heroes flipping their handsets stylishly,” laughs Yuvraj of Samsung India. Sivaji and Don aside, slider-phones, which sport a sliding cover to reveal a keypad as the base, are also finding takers. Clamshell phones, with their smooth finish, have found a niche market too.

The most recent entrants are touch-screen phones. The likes of HTC and Motorola have whipped out these large screen, touch-sensitive models that attract the early adopters. “Handset designs have come of age today. Convergence being the buzz word, a handset today is really all you need for your communication needs along with music on the go and clicking high-quality images and videos,” says Mathur.

His firm recently introduced the W580i, a handset that offers an all-new way to experience music, with its unique ShakeControl technology. Flick your wrist to advance to the next song, and shake it to shuffle the playlist.

PEDIGREE COUNTS

Brand, quality and durability are important topics during a purchase decision as the average consumer invests almost a month’s salary in a handset. The entry of new handset vendors and brands — there are more than 15 players now — has meant more choice for the purchaser. Gartner expects more players, local as well as global, to join the action.

Duplication of product designs and even software has been noticed, but the Indian buyer is content with the dropping affordability factor. Unique offerings and staying ahead of the game will help brands survive.

When a buyer walks into a shop, he will first look for the brand on his mind and then the look — is there a new or different looking mobile on the shelf?, explains Bawa. “The form and colour are primary features that will sell a mobile,” defines Mathias.

“The product must be a complete experience with all the value of material quality, finish and fit and style,” counteracts Nouvo. “Form factor is just one of the components that goes into the decision making process of a mobile handset. Other factors, such as colour, screen, user interface, etc, play an equally important role,” says Nokia’s Jan Blom, Head of the Bangalore design team.

What about cost? A surprising lesson that most vendors learnt with the furious pace of mobile adoption was that the average Indian mobile consumer is not price-conscious, and gives in to aspiration. Nokia learnt that while the prompt for mobility is simple, the wants of our people are global.

“It is a myth that price is the only driver in emerging markets,” says Blom. Playing the ‘aspirational’ tune, Vertu has customers in India too. The brand is focused on customers who have gained success in life, and consider themselves winners in achieving their dreams and desires, says Nouvo.

For Sony Ericsson, the ethos is ‘convenient, fashionable technology’. “You will notice the extensive use of colours in our various models as well as design-enhancing features, such as embedded lighting,” says Mathur.

LOOKS: NOT JUST SKIN DEEP

“After the decision on the look, the consumer looks at the features and technology. We see segmentation occurring and are complementing the design of the handset to an application to enhance overall user experience,” says Bawa. BenQ is betting on a combination of a slider-styled handset that plays music. Samsung prefers to go with flip/ folder phones, with large screens — the better choice for playing videos. Sony Ericsson is foraying into the designer mobile segment by bundling stylish mobiles with gift vouchers.

“There is an increased influx of designer brands in the Indian market. If market trends are observed, consumers very clearly are looking for value addition over and above basic functionality, in terms of trendy designs and products that help them make an individual style statement. We are also pleased to announce a completely new category of handsets where the primary focus is on design and associated features. TheS500i is targeted at women and individuals who love to pamper themselves. The S500i comes in four colours — Mysterious Green, Ice Purple, Contrasted Copper and Spring Yellow; and offers unique features such as embedded lighting, themes based on different seasons of the year, in addition to regular features such as a 2.0 MP camera. This model will cater to the ever-growing set of consumers to whom their mobile is a personal style statement. To reinforce its lifestyle positioning and truly offer consumers a ‘self-pampering’ experience, we are also offering a special gift from ‘The Body Shop’ with every purchase of the S500i,” says Mathur.

WORKS

Usability, which is how people use their phone — navigating between the menu, calls and applications — has also been changing significantly. Software, content and finally modifying the chassis in accordance with usage — mobiles are undergoing modifications that will help users be more efficient.

Superficial changes such as making heavy duty phones, pocket-sized, lightweight and with minimal applications, while designing smartphones as larger-screened, with a QWERTY keypad and USB ports have been made.

Now, designers are rethinking the form factor itself. One such is BenQ’s upcoming music phone. Its volume buttons will be perched outside. Bawa says, “When we were designing a phone for the music audience, we learnt from research that our base was 15-24 year olds, who can be seen in jeans. They listen to either FM/MP3s and would have to dig into their pockets to change the channel or advance through the playlist. Using that knowledge, we decided to place all the music control keys on top of the phone, so there would be no hassle of removing the phone throughout the session.”

Similarly, changes to the software for touch-screens, that will let you slide your thumb across it to flip through photos, or a camera button placed conveniently to let you click that precious moment in seconds — form the silent milestones of the cell-phone evolution.

Sony Ericsson’s one-click camera function, xenon flashlight and Photo-Fix (which digitally enhances the quality of an image photographed in inadequate lighting conditions) make its camera phones easier to use for new users.

“Imaging phones are increasingly gaining in popularity in the Indian market,” Mathur says. Sales of camera phones are tripling in the country, faster than the digital camera market. Motorola plans to redesign low-end handsets to make the interface text-free and is experimenting with speech recognition. Already, voice commands are proffered in many handsets as an alternative to punching in keys.

HOW THEY DO IT

Handset makers feel the consumer pulse with surveys conducted every six months. BenQ has a marketing focussed group that performs research on consumers once a quarter.

“Our consumer panel does a survey twice a year to get insights into changing consumer demands. We also have a year-old design lab in Bangalore, one of six worldwide, which works on handset design as well as content that is bundled with it,” says Mathias of Motorola.

The maker even tracked the fashion industry for ideas. “We noted that pink suddenly became the rage and brought out mobile handsets in pink for our fashionable buyers,” he says.

Nouvo says being part of a network of global designers and friends from different fields that are constantly sharing ideals and dreams helps him design the next Vertu mobile.“Additionally, with Vertu marketing and technology experts, we keep an eye on our customers — we talk with them and make sure that what we are doing is right for them,” he says. He designs from his base in Southern California and at the Vertu Headquarters in England.

“Vertu is very hands-on and we make very few products. We spend a great deal of time on each to make them as special as they are. I have two designers working with me — one in Southern California and one in the UK. We have many engineering and material specialists who are absolutely critical to Vertu design and I have one in Southern California with me and many in the headquarters in the UK,” he informs, in an e-mail questionnaire on design.

Sony Ericsson’s research and development centres in Europe, Japan, China and America are the global design centres of the maker. “Each of our product segments is designed to cater to the specific requirements of unique sets of customers. This is a result of the extensive surveys and research that help us connect with the market feedback and their needs,” says Mathur.

The company plans to launch the T650i, a mobile whose design was inspired by Nordic lights, in India soon. It boasts a scratch-free mineral glass screen, which perks up the colours.

“Our entire design process is influenced by the consumer and their behaviour — how they want their mobile to look, function and fit into their lifestyle. We take a human approach to design in an industry that tends to focus on just pushing technology. We are creating stylish products that work just the way people like them to. This combination is central to our design work and brand,” says Blom of Nokia, which recently tied up with Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology to set up the first of a series of satellite design studios. The Bangalore studio “reflects India’s status as one of the hottest countries for design,” according to Nokia’s Chief Designer, Alastair Curtis.

Blom elucidates, “The main objective of the programme is to bring us closer to local cultures, helping us to find new inspirations and ideas that can be implemented across our global portfolio of products. They are formed in partnership with and located at design universities. This ensures a comprehensive and scientific approach and close interaction with talented young students. The aim is to do various kinds of research and design work depending on agreed brief and the country in which the studio resides.

The centre will look at a range of design trends and themes, including: visual perceptions: researching key colour and material trends in India and their cultural significance; Internet mobility: understanding how people in India are accessing the Internet via mobile phones, why and what are they using this for, the impact on behaviours and culture, and how can we identify these and other signals that will help us come up with relevant and compelling devices designed for Internet usage and even social applications for mobiles — how can mobile design be used to address issues in more rural areas of India, for example access to education material.”

Samsung’s mobile research and development team in Bangalore is one of the firm’s top six in the world. The company, recognising the potential of theIndian market, plans to expand this and is investing in India, China and Poland centres, shares Yuvraj.

COMING UP

In 2010, your phone could probably resemble a wristwatch, or a knife! Samsung’s research team is working on a phone that will check your blood pressure at regular intervals, and be your ‘doctor’. Nokia’s design team in the US is looking at the next 5-15 years and macro trends such as the environment and societal changes, colours and materials that will play in the phones of the future.

Areas to watch, according to the maker, are new shapes, materials and features, creating new ways for people to interact with their device, how to make the mobile Internet experience compelling, and broader adoption of multi-media features and content.“Mobile design is a fascinating and dynamic area. Design will be much more based around the experience people want from their device — what they want their device to do and how it needs to fit into their everyday lives. Given that we are not all looking for the same experience, there will be a number of different trends,” says Blom.

Yuvraj is franker, with “bigger screens to watch videos — either stored or streaming, phones with higher data storage, double screen phones (one screen being a normal phone screen, the other a larger one for videos) and lighter phones form the trends in the future.”

Soon, your handset will connect you to all your other gadgets and electronics. “Mobiles will take complete control of all your standalone devices. The future holds too much and only time will unfold some new awe-striking designs,” is Mathur’s mysterious answer.

The next handset could just be out of a science fiction novel — but, Hush! say the designers.

Made in India

India’s telecommunication story is one of the most popular success stories of this century. Its blazing growth and diversity has made it the perfect location to watch out for new trends and innovations.

“India is a unique market — rather it is not one market, but many markets of different complexities and dynamics,” feels Blom. The Nokia 1100 ‘Made in India’ handset, with its anti-slip grip, dust-resistant body and torch light was designed keeping in mind Indian conditions. The maker also brought out phones in nine Indian languages, which made it widely accepted by rural mobile users.

“India is the fastest-growing mobile market. We expect mobile handsets sales to grow by 40-50 per cent in 2007-08. We are looking at exploring trends and themes in the country. While designing a handset for India, Sony Ericsson looks at content, language and features that will suit the country.”

Another important factor is the type of telecom network, says Mathur. “GSM networks vary according to the regions, and we have to design our handsets to suit the network,” he says.

“We have customised handsets for India in many small, but significant ways. For example, Indians need large address books, as we are a gregarious people. The volume controls have also been modified to offer higher volume, considering that our streets have ambient noise. Voice prompts in Indian languages have been introduced,” Mathias pips in.

Higher ring tone volume, regional ‘panchang’ calendars and even a Hindi-to-English dictionary are just a few of the modifications made to Samsung phones for Indians, according to Yuvraj.

An example of software designed especially for the Indian community was the mobile tracker. With the launch of the Hero range of mobiles, Samsung’s Indian scientists made a mark in the global mobile design community.

Nouvo says, “A large number of specialists in technology and software provide a great contribution to the world of mobile technology. The contribution is well-known and appreciated in our industry.”

He adds, “The global language of luxury is spoken in India too. There will be local desires in terms of special colours and materials. Design must look closely at the Indian consumer and work hard and look deeply to understand what unique needs and desires may come from there.”

“India’s segmented population, with its cultures and preferences, provides us a lot of opportunities for new designs,” says Bawa. India is a great place to explore possibilities in emerging markets because it forms a microcosm of the developing world, adds Blom.

Domestic handset production now caters to local demand, but Gartner expects 30 per cent of this to be exported to neighbouring regions that need low-cost handsets such as Africa, West Asia and other parts of South Asia, over the next five years.

“Good design, which appeals to a wide range of people, and high craft is relevant to India. As former Chief of Design for Nokia, I worked with the Nokia team to create a broad range of designs for a great number of diverse needs, functionalities and styles. Ultimately, I think of design as global. There are regional differences but we are all human and mostly very similar in our desires. Uniqueness and individuality and a sense of rarity is also a known desire. India is a huge market and has a significant effect on the mobile phone industry,” continues the global designer Nouvo.

preethij@thehindu.co.in

More Stories on : Telecommunications | Insight | Fashion

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
‘My mobile is me’