Handset maker Doro has claimed that the senior market is becoming increasingly tech savvy, with 58 per cent of over 65s now reportedly wanting their own smartphone.
Having forged its niche in the unassuming and easily accessible feature phone market, Doro has recently started edging its way into the smartphone race. Now, the manufacturer has claimed the senior market is keen for powerful but user-friendly devices.
Discussing the senior sector – the company’s stomping ground – Chris Millington, Doro’s Managing Director for UK and Ireland, stated: “They have been less exposed to technology, particularly as they get older, but they definitely want to move to a smartphone.”
Speaking with TrustedReviews he added: “58 per cent of over 65s are interested in buying a smartphone. Only 28 per cent said they’re not.”
With around 11 million over 65s currently living in the UK, this percentage equates to roughly 6.4 million individuals.
Despite so many seniors reportedly clamouring to join the smartphone revolution, Millington has claimed that once adopted, their user habits remain largely unchanged.
“The core functionality is obviously still important,” he told us. “The most important things stay the same, so calling, texting, taking pictures and emailing, they are always the drivers.”
He added: “Then it is about information and that starts to spread into social media and apps. The key though is confidence. Confidence is the most important thing in the world for this particular user group.
“One of the things in the research that came out more than anything else from people that have already gone to smartphones, is that they feel insecure about the smartphone they’ve purchased. They feel concerned because it is not natural to them and not a native technology to their life.”
With the recently unveiled Doro Liberto 820, the manufacturer is looking to bring mid-range smartphone performance to a market keen on an easy interface and accessibility features such as hearing aid support, visual aids and an emergency contact alarm.
Read More: Doro Liberto 810 review
