According to a report conducted by Devicescape — creators of the first wireless memory card — consumers today are more dependent than ever on wi-fi technology. The study also shows that these increasingly dependent consumers want unlimited access to wi-fi, and they don't want to pay much for it.
The report, released at the end of 2010, shows that as digital traffic has increased, service providers have begun to instate "data capping" — limits on the amount of data that can be sent. However, 80 percent of those surveyed said that they would switch to a different service provider if they were faced with such limits. Although 38 percent said that they would pay a premium price for unlimited service, 60 percent said that they would not pay more than $25 for a wi-fi plan.
These findings also suggest that consumers have come to expect wi-fi capabilities with all of their electronic devices. Respondents said that their laptops were sufficiently equipped for wi-fi, but 67 percent said that their cameras did not have enough wireless sharing capabilities. Note to camera manufacturers: Fifty-seven percent of users in the study said that wi-fi capability drives their decision when purchasing a camera.
According to an article that appeared in The New York Times in December 2010, point-and-shoot cameras are becoming an endangered breed. Although the Consumer Electronics Association says that point-and-shoot cameras are still found in 82 percent of American households, consumers say the diverse functionality and instant sharing features on their smartphones make them more appealing as single-use point-and-shoot cameras.