Do cell phone users really want to perform searches and surf the web from their cell phones? AOL is betting that they do, and a recent survey backs this up. But the key is knowing what they're searching for.
Everyone is always looking for the “killer app.” When it comes to cell phones, aside from making phone calls, a lot of the search engines seem to think that it’s search. That makes sense if users really want to surf the web on their cell phones. I have never surfed the web on my cell phone, and I don’t want to, but apparently plenty of people disagree with me. In fact, according to a recent mobile lifestyle survey conducted by AOL in conjunction with the Pew Research Center, 30 percent of adults want to browse the web from their cell phones. Given that three out of every four Americans own a cell phone, that’s potentially a huge audience.
AOL climbed aboard the mobile trend in July 2005, when it unveiled web, local and shopping search services that were similar to those available at its own search site. The problem that many have observed with taking web services mobile, however, is the size of the screen. I’m typing these words on the same lovely screen I surf the web for research at work; it’s more than one year old, and is about 17” diagonally. My Nokia cell phone is maybe two months old, and its screen measures less than three inches diagonally. For some things, size really does matter. Don’t tell me I can have a satisfying web surfing experience on such a small screen!
AOL apparently understands this. The company added a new feature to its mobile search designed to make web surfing more pleasant on a small screen. Called “Surf the Web,” it should reduce aggravation for those who want to surf on their cell phones, and maybe even encourage those who wouldn’t consider doing it before to give it a try.
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