At Least It Isn’t Pink

So this week word leaked that Verizon is testing an Android smartphone intended for women. How did it leak? Well someone revealed they are doing focus groups with women in their 20-30s around the country to vet the phone. Note to marketers: Think twice about the perfunctory release respondents sign at your focus groups. Might want to tighten up security

Here is what we know:
It will be green in color b/c green is soothing
It will have a rubber back so it is easier to grip
It will have apps (well, it is a smartphone, right?)
The wallpaper will be calming
Has some cool accessories like a wireless charging dock that has speakers (a la an iHome unplugged)
Car speaker and matching bluetooth headset

Here is what I don’t understand:
Why is this for women versus for people? Wouldn’t men also like a soothing phone with a no slip grip?

The only feature which is more distinctly female is the cool light up charm that attaches to the phone with a strap. It lights up when there is a call or a new message. Now this is really smart for women. If you are wondering why … look over at the table of women having dinner together on a Thursday night. I bet that their phones are on the table in case the babysitter or their teenager needs to call. Because women don’t keep their phones in their pockets like men we don’t hear or feel our phones ring. So we put them out on the table so we can see if someone has called or texted. This visual cue would alleviate the anxiety about missing an important call. I’m guessing a really intuitive engineer figured this one out.

So what do you think? Do women need phones made just for them?

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