Findings unveiled by Orange show that young people are personalising their mobile phones at record levels. More than 2 million mobile phone users aged between 16 and 18, or 86.4% of that age group, have modified their handset in some way. The data was collated by Tickbox.net, who surveyed 16-18-year old users of the online teemnage community Dubit throughout August.
Young people customise and add their own personal touch to their mobile phone handsets, either by painting or drawing their own design onto their handset, attaching jewellery and charms to the phone or simply downloading their favourite tunes, ringtones and wallpapers the process is known as modding.
The mobile operator says that in the last six months, it has seen the number of consumers modifying handsets more than double. It currently estimates the value of the mobile modification market at more than 30 million, predicting that it will grow by 100% in the next 12 months.
Orange has dubbed the trend mobification and claims is is fast establishing itself as the latest craze amongst Britains youth.
Mobification has established itself in Asia-Pacific over the last two years, and we have noticed that is now catching on in the UK as well says Orange Director of Brand Marketing, Pippa Dunn. We estimate that handsets are now being modded at a rate of around 1,000 a week. Young people are keen to customise their phones as an expression or extension of their personality and mobification is an easy way to make your mobile the envy of your friends.
Pria Bakhshi, who is 16, from London, and a keen modder adds:
Modding is cool, everyones doing it now. All my friends have their own ringtones and most of them have added something onto the case as well. My phone has glitter all over it. and Ive got a Swarovski charm on the hand strap, I love it!
More information on modding here.