Comparative study of "functional" mobile applications

Abstract

The paper compares the findings coming from three case studies for the case of mobile data services and highlights factors that could explain the low usage rates among the users. The movement of applications from desktop platforms to wireless and mobile configurations may have a significant impact on future daily activities. Mobile computing supported by broadband wireless networks allows users to have information and communication when they are on the move offering rich mobile applications and services. But the low diffusion of mobile applications and services in European societies asks for more investigation in order to explain userspsila behavior within mobile networked environments. The results presented here tend to suggest that the functionality of the applications itself is not an adequate factor that could increase the usage rates.