CTIA: On Mobile Phone Design

I've always been a fan of the field of industrial design. Whereas an architect is responsible for the overall design of a building, industrial designers are responsible for the design of everyday products from tables to cars to, yes, even cell phones. So when I got the opportunity to speak with Frank Tyneski, executive director of the Industrial Designers Society of America, I jumped at it.Before his role with the IDSA, the largest society for product designers in the world, Frank worked extensively in the mobile and wireless industry. He was responsible for leading the design of the first Nextel phone as well as leading design efforts for both RIM and Kyocera. I found our discussions interesting, on and off camera, particularly given his broad experience in mobile and wireless.

In our interview, Tyneski mentioned that the drive toward convergence and the integration of more features into smaller packages have led us into variations on the rectangle in terms of the form of the modern mobile phone. If the need to have our phone be a phone, GPS, MP3 video player, and calendar while at the same time being able to fit in our pocket has led toward homogeneity in physical forms, how do manufacturers differentiate themselves? Take a look to find out.

We also got a chance to discuss the changes we've see with distribution models, what got him excited on the show floor, and what he believes the future will hold in the mobile and wireless industry. On a personal note, I'd like to thank Frank for taking the time to talk with me and offer his insights from the show floor. Enjoy the video: