iPhone , uPhone, mePhone
We all know that the iPhone is the perfect device for gadget lovers and apple maniacs. But for quite some time I've had this theory that maybe it's perfect for everybody else, too.
But let's start a few weeks earlier. Because at that time my grandparents needed a new mobile phone. They didn't really want one but it seems convenient to have one in case of an emergency. So I got them a cheap, easy to use Nokia handset which I thought was good for them. But of course they had some trouble using it. So I thought about it: How should the perfect mobile phone for them look? I know that there are phones especially for older people. But my grandparents aren't neither dumb nor blind. They just don't have any experience with modern technology. There has to be an alternative to those big, ugly looking devices with gigantic buttons and a one line display.
What are the main problems they have with those devices? They are basically too small. The device is small and so is the display and the control elements. Another big point is the usability. It was very hard to explain to them how to navigate through a multidimensional menu with a d-pad and some buttons. It became even worse, because the same button had different functionalities depending on the menu or the application you're in. It was terrible for them.
So I started a little experiment. I showed them my iPhone and it turned out that in a very short amount of time they were able to use it. Of course they still don't know what Google Maps is but they could use the basic functionalities like searching and calling somebody or even looking through photos.
If you think about it, it makes perfect sense: The iPhone is a rather big phone in comparison to the other phones you would normally buy them. That's a big advantage. They can hold the phone in one hand and push the buttons with the other one. The buttons are big, easy to hit and have a understandable label. A very important point was the eye-hand coordination. Normally you have to press the down-button to scroll through a menu and then you have to hit another button to accept your choice. When using the iPhone you scroll with your fingers through the actual list and you really can click on the object you want to select. You don't have to look for the right button to push. The display and the control element is the same. I could even explain to them how to use the photo app without showing them. "Just slide the photo out of the display!"
Some time ago a colleague of mine told me about similar experiences he made with his 4 year old son. He loves to use the Youtube app on his father's iPhone. Although he doesn't know what Youtube is, he can find his favorite cartoon in the favorites and start the video. This corroborated my theory.
So what do you think? Have you made similar experiences with your iPhone or other new multitouch devices (Droid, Pre, Google phones) or is it just me?