Face to face makes a difference : Recommendation Practices of Users of Mobile Services

Abstract

The mobile app stores and markets provide companies,independent developers and researchers alike withpossibilities to distribute innovative designs for mobiledevices on a global scale. However, reaching a large numbersof users does not in itself ensure a large number of usersadopting the mobile application or service. Large-scaleadoption depends on additional factors such as novelty inservice design, ease of use, enjoyable interaction, built-inmechanisms for further distribution of the mobile service aswell as the practice of word-of-mouth recommendations. Inthis position paper we present the background andpreliminary findings from a study aimed at investigating themotivations and practices by which users recommend mobileapps and services among their acquaintances. We discuss ourperspective on distribution of mobile applications andservices on a large scale and end this paper by suggestingquestions for discussion and future research