Message in a box: R u free 2nite, honey?

KOLKATA: Guess what most urban Indians do with SMS, MMS and instant messaging (IM) in their mobile phones? The two highest usage of these applications are to romance with their spouse and someone other than their spouse/partner, according to a latest study conducted by market research firm Synovate and Microsoft.

The study, conducted primarily in Mumbai and New Delhi, also revealed that SMS, MMS and IM have been used for sending or receiving adult content (13%), to end relationship with their partners (8%) and even to quit their job (5%).

What���s more! 19% of the respondents in India feel it is acceptable to fire someone over the mobile phone.
The Synovate-Microsoft study, conducted in Asian Pacific (Apac) region, has provided interesting insights into how people in urban India are using their mobile phones.

���In taking relationships to the next level, Chinese (58%) and Indians (54%) are most likely to find it acceptable for marriage proposals to occur over their mobile phones,��� the study notes.

When it comes to making a purchase decision, Indian consumers are very conscious about the handset brand (65%) followed by music quality and storage capacity (57%).

���The survey reveal touch phones are witnessing very high demand in Indian market with 59% consumers preferring such devices. In keeping with these evolving consumer trends, touch phones are a big bet for Microsoft and today Windows Mobile has a wide range of touch devices,��� Microsoft India director, mobility group, Sumeet Gugnani told ET.

Here���s another interesting bit. Japanese women (71%) lead the pack in the APAC region to check SMS and call history in their husband���s mobile phone. In India, around 60% women might take similar action compared to some 47% of males who are likely to check their partner���s phone. However, more men than women in India are keen to use the global positioning system (GPS) in their handsets to track the whereabouts of their spouse (46% men as compared to 33% women).

Indians are extremely social when it comes to using a mobile phone. People are also likely to use their phones at a wedding ceremony, while eating a meal with other people, in the cinema, during a business meeting, at a place of worship and even inside a library. Some 87% of the respondents also believe that mobile phone should not be given to children.