Consumers' Expectations of the Densities of Portable Communication Devices

Abstract

Each year, portable devices used for communication seem to be getting smaller and lighter. Presuming that displays will remain legible and buttons can be pressed reliably, continued size reduction seems to be a worthy objective. After all, consumers logically prefer devices that fit in a jacket pocket or pocketbook over those that must be stowed in a briefcase. But, are concomitant weight reductions a good thing? To answer this question, we experimented with three-dimensional, block models of pagers, cell phones, and two-way radios. Specifically, we made five block models of each type of product, varying the weight, and consequently, the density, of each model over a selected range. We asked participants to rate the expected density, durability, and quality of the models, relative to the actual devices. One objective was to see if consumers preferred products with roughly the same density (i.e., volume-to-weight ratio), or if the type of product (i.e., pager, phone, or radio) would lead people to prefer different densities. Another objective was to determine how density influenced perceptions of product quality and durability.