What Women Want: 3G iPhones, Smartphones

Before searching for the Arts section in this morning’s New York Times to get my hands on today’s crossword, I quickly glanced at the front page and an article titled “Smartphones Now Ringing For Women” caught my eye.

According to the story, Nielsen Mobile reports that the number of female smart phone users has doubled during the past year to 10.4 million, and the jump in men’s purchases was lower. The women in households are also making the decisions on the family’s wireless plan. According to Verizon Wireless, 71 percent of women are choosing both handsets and plans for the entire family.

The article also laid out a smartphone buyer’s concern chart from Nielsen Mobile. It showed 14 percent of women placed a priority on the phone’s keyboard vs. just 11-percent of men. Women also placed more emphasis on the price (14 percent vs. 9 percent), design, and size/weight. Men, on the other hand, were more concerned with brand reliability (12-percent vs just 7-percent of women) and ease of use.

Not surprisingly, the article also stated that “roughly 1/3″ of the new iPhone purchases would end up in the hands of women. So what makes smartphones so attractive to women? The article claims it’s the diminishing size and increase in sleekness that makes them more attractive, as well as the ability to sync up with friends’ and relatives’ calendars during hectic work week schedules.