Response from: Abul

Smartphones are necessary, also key in the future of multimedia solutions. The problem is with the operators not doing enough to make the consumers aware of what they can do with their handsets apart from Voice calls and SMS.
A great phrase from Roosevelt says it best - "If you build it, they will come" and how true that is.

Response from: Dameon D. Welch-Abernathy

Excellent point! The biggest issues I see here in the U.S. is that most of the Smartphones available here clearly aren't. There's also plenty of room for improvement on the devices themselves as well.

Response from: Raza

Yes awareness is one major factor that has to be considered, but majority of the common users don't use smartphones because they only rly on sms and voice chat. So they don't require smartphones for that.

Response from: Abul

Raza - Whenever I tell a normal mobile user what my phone (n95) does all I get back is "as long as it can make calls and send SMS I'm fine" That is the mental attitude that needs to be broken before smartphones become more mainstream. The only way that's going to happen is via marketing and advertising. If you tell someone they "need" something enough, they'll start to believe it!

Response from: Dameon D. Welch-Abernathy

There is very little mobile phone advertising independent of the mobile network operators in the U.S., except of course for the iPhone. The operators only typically advertise either their "hot sellers" or their "free with a 2 year ball and chain" phones. Bah.