The facilitating role of smartphones in increasing use of value-added mobile services

Abstract

This study proposes a conceptual framework for understanding the driving factors of value-added mobile services use. We offer a novel perspective, through an examination of the user–device relationship, on how the latent use of smartphones enhances the actual use of value-added mobile services. We grounded our framework in both the domestication and Apparatgeist theories as well as the findings from three focus groups. We tested the framework using self-reported data from 414 smartphone users. The findings demonstrate that the symbolic use of smartphones results in increased attachment to smartphones that in turn has a positive effect on deriving experiential value of using value-added mobile services. Symbolic use also has a positive relationship with value-expressiveness resulting from the use of such services. Both value-expressiveness and experiential value have a strong, positive relationship with overall user satisfaction that leads to an increase in the actual use of such services.