Search Engine Watch has a nice write up of a new AOL-Pew wireless user survey (1,503 adults) and a discussion of some new wireless applications/tools on AOL Mobile (including enhanced local services). Here's the survey data itself. Among the interesting findings:
- 51% of respondents said mobile maps were a "must-have" feature (MapQuest launched new directions and navigation tools today for mobile). By contrast only 31% said "mobile search" was a must-have feature. The latter number will rise as the user experience improves. But the demand for maps on mobile devices can be seen as a proxy for local however.
- 38% want desktop IM-cell interconnections, including 50 percent of those in the 18-29 age group.
- 40% in the 18-29 age demographic are likely to ditch their fixed line phones. And 49% of this age group say they make more calls on their cell phones.
I'm not in this age group regrettably (I'm 41), but I can tell you that I just upped my monthly minutes and am making fewer and fewer calls on my landline. We could be looking at a situation in 5-7 years in the US where we start to see a meaningful decline in landlines and corresponding revenues, which represents trouble for the telcos on multiple fronts.
Screenwerk 