Google Wireless Study Identifies Smartphone Features Most Influential

Searches for smartphones rose 35% between January and march 2010, compared to the same time last year, according to Sara Kleinberg, head of marketing for technology for Goole's technology group, which studies how consumers use the Internet to search and shop. The internal data provided by Kleinberg confirms a joint study between Google and Compete released today, but conducted between July and October 2009. The study also makes it clear that consumer shopping habits have changed as a result of smartphone technology. Not only do people rely on search engines to research products they know about, but they also look for information on products from brands they have yet to discover. "We found that people are increasingly searching on Google for terms such as 'new phone' or 'cool phone,'" says Kleinberg. "We think of Google search as a bit of a barometer for trends."