Users inventing ways to enjoy new mobile services - the case of watching mobile videos

Abstract

The introduction and marketing of third-generation mobile services has not been enough to make them a commercial success. User involvement and user innovations are apparently needed before such success can be achieved. We handed out mobile phones with video capability to test users to see what kind of meaningful contexts they might find for watching streaming mobile video. There were at least two different contexts in which they considered it natural to view mobile video. Firstly, they were able to avoid boring situations by entertaining themselves. Secondly, mobile video made it possible to share experiences with other people. Singing karaoke together or watching cartoons with children offered fun moments and represented a type of use not frequently found in visions of mobile entertainment.