Email tops the list of the most requested service for mobile users. In a poll conducted by Webcredible, a UK usability firm, of about 1K mobile phone users they asked people ‘Which service would you use on your mobile/cell phone if speed & quality weren’t an issue?’. 33% said email would be their number one choice followed by 25% for social networking. This was followed by local info about their surroundings at 20%; travel, mapping, and directions at 13%; and not surprising, much lower on the list is online shopping coming in at 9%. Users are generally more interested in quick information seeking on the go versus shopping on their mobile device. Also, the smaller form factor inhibits usability for longer time period use, cumbersome keypad, ability to view images clearly, long and costly download times, and encryption security.

I didn’t see any mention of texting. It is interesting, though, that social networking appears to be high on the wish list. According the Webcredible “One of the driving factors in enabling this will be the usability of the site and the skill with which site developers transfer from PC format to mobile format. Facebook has already developed a very accessible and usable mobile version of their site, ensuring its members get their daily Facebook fix”.