Perceptions versus expectations of multimedia messaging service (MMS)

Abstract

Previously mobile industry has been unsuccessful in predicting services available on mobile phones that consumers would want to use. Short messaging service (SMS), for example, developed as a major service to the surprise of service providers. Wireless application protocol (WAP) despite heavy marketing and high hopes was not successful. The study presented examines consumer attitudes to using multimedia messaging service (MMS). An experiment is reported which tests whether people who had the opportunity to use MMS formed different perceptions of it to those who were only shown an animated PowerPoint presentation. The results demonstrated that the group who used MMS had more positive perceptions. However, the results from both groups suggest there are important barriers to overcome for use to be extensive: for example, the price of the service and of the handsets would be a disincentive and the service would need to be available to use across networks.