The effects of screen-size and communication modality on psychology of mobile device users

Abstract

Does screen-size matter in mobile devices? There appears to be a move toward larger screens, with recent launches of Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Tab, but do these devices undercut the perceived mobility and affect user attitudes toward the technology? To answer these and related questions, the present study examines the effects of screen-size and communication modality (text vs. video) on mobile device users' perception of mobility and content as well as attitudes toward technology acceptance. Preliminary data from a between-subjects experiment show that smaller screen-size elicited greater perceived mobility while larger screen-size was key to greater enjoyment. News story in video format played a crucial role in providing greater enjoyment and newsworthiness of the news story while news in text format was perceived to be easier to use on a mobile device. Design implications and limitations are discussed, as we prepare for a constructive replication.