Vodafone is gearing up to launch more content services aimed at women, including a Desperate Housewives game, Telecompaper (sub.req.)reports. Vodafone also detailed its insights into what women (at least in the U.K. and The Netherlands) expect from mobile phones and functions. (No details, so we can only assume this is based on a statistically significant slice of its users in the two countries.) Unsurprisingly, design is the number one selling-point. User research found around 55 percent want a phone that is round, light colored and opens like a clamshell. Some 18 percent want a more business-oriented model, 14 percent want to make a statement with an extrovert design, and 13 percent just wanna have fun, funky design.

Vodafone’s examination of usage patterns shows the phone is essential to women for keeping in contact with family and friends. Women – the penultimate connectors - have much larger social networks to sustain than their male counterparts. Generally speaking, the number of phone numbers in their calling circle is some 2-3 times larger than men’s (excluding business numbers). Women call a lot, and also talk for a long time, especially when it’s an incoming call.

SMS is also important to women. They use it to make contact, show affection, send photos and for shopping lists – and they use this service much more than their men. Although men make more use of content services, women are more prolific users of personalised services, such as ringtones, and are also more interested in specifically “feminine content” such as the Dutch soap opera Onderweg naar morgen or Bridget Jones.