DUBAI // Women are just as tech-savvy as men when it comes to using mobile devices such as smart phones or tablets, and it takes more than a pretty pink case to make them switch to a new product.
Who said so? They did – as part of a survey on expatwoman.com, a popular local website dedicated to providing information and articles to the female expat community.
The conclusion formed part of a wider study conducted over the course of this year.
The site surveyed 1,500 of its members to examine the tech habits of women in the UAE, asking a range of questions relating to all things mobile.
It found Apple products were the most popular among users, with 53 per cent of respondents saying they owned an iPhone, followed by BlackBerry and Samsung.
Sixty-three per cent said that the most important factor when buying a mobile was the functionality of the device, well ahead of aspects such as price, design or brand.
“People think that women want something that is pink and fluffy and covered in diamonds, and that isn’t what ladies are interested in,” said Gail Livingstone-Potter, general manager of the website.
“They are interested in functionality, what they are going to get out of a tablet or phone, rather than what it looks like.
“I think that a lot of people would assume that women’s husbands may be choosing their wife’s phone, but that just isn’t the case. Women are choosing their own devices based on research.
“Social is definitely the most important factor. With women being expats here, they want to be in touch with their friends and family across the world, so sharing photos and videos, using Facebook and Skype are very important for staying in touch.”
Mrs Livingstone-Potter said that an expatwoman.com mobile app was in the pipeline, but is still in the early stages of development.
ksinclair@thenational.ae
