InfoTrends study shows increased use of cameraphones among Generation Z

According to a new research report from InfoTrends, Weymouth, Mass., cameraphone functionality is becoming increasingly attractive to young consumers in the 13- to 24-year-old age demographic. A significant number of those in this Generation Z population indicated that they send or receive text messages on a daily basis, and nearly the same percentage use their cameras for taking pictures.

Although consumers across all age segments indicate that they use their cameraphones often and value having the ability to take spur-of-the-moment photos, only 15 percent of consumers consider their cameraphone to be their primary picture taking device, while 65 percent still regard their digital still camera as their primary picture taking device. Satisfaction ratings were high for cameraphone features and ease-of-use (taking pictures and videos), but somewhat lower for print quality and the cost of sharing/receiving photos.

"It is clear that cameraphones will not replace traditional digital cameras any time soon," says Alan Bullock, associate director of InfoTrends' Internet Imaging Service. "Nevertheless, ongoing improvements to image quality and ease-of-use will eventually enable cameraphones to be highly regarded as image capture devices."

InfoTrends' new research report, "U.S. Camera Phone End-User Survey Research: 2007," examines consumers' satisfaction with the photo-related features of their cameraphones. The study explores features that are most important to users and the extent to which they use various functions on their phone. It also provides analysis on Internet users' cameraphone ownership, usage, and applications, and investigates changes that have taken place among cameraphone users since 2005.