Smart phone users need more help

Smart phone-owning consumers feel they're not getting enough out of their devices - and it's the fault of network operators, manufacturers and retail outlets.

At least that's according to the latest research of 95 owners in the UK, who placed 'not knowing what features are available' top of there list of complaints, cited by 30 per cent of survey respondents.

Other problems include 'not knowing how to download applications' or setting up email.

The study was carried out by Taylor Nelson Sofres for smart phone software company Intuwave, which is advising the industry to be more proactive in supporting smart phones.

Dean Bubley, founder Disruptive Analysis, said: "As you get more and more complicated software on phones it gets harder to support customers."

The problem is growing because the smart phone market is growing with a wide range of phones, settings and downloadable applications coming in to play.

It is unsurprising that some network operators are encouraging independent retailers to be more instructive.

Bubley added: "One call per customer per year [to a support call centre] and the operators may as well kiss their profits goodbye."