The Check in Call is a service that will make a call to loved ones, to see if any assistance is needed, or just to let them know that they are cared for.

The medication reminder is currently priced at $10 a month, while the Check in Call is priced at $5 a month.

Cooper has since developed phones, such as the Jitterbug, in reaction to what he saw as the over-complicating of the cellular market with smartphones like iPhones and Blackberrys. Furthermore, Cooper (who is now 81) wanted to design a phone that included the following built-in health services for its users:
-Live Nurse: If they have any immediate health concerns, Jitterbug customers can speak to an actual nurse at any time.
-Wellness Calls: These are 5-minute, personal tips regarding health and relaxation.
-Heart Healthy Tips: Similarly, the customer can opt for tips regarding optimal nutrition and exercise for the aging heart.

Cooper was recently interviewed on CNN talking about one of his other projects, ArrayComm, which is a company working to improve cellular networks and various other forms of mobile communication. In the article, it is discussed that the original mobile phone was actually pitted against AT&T’s car phone at the time. When asked why Motorola decided to go up against this other piece of technology, he said:

For 100 years, people wanting to talk on the phone have been constrained by being tied to their desks or their homes with a wire, and now we’re going to trap them in their cars? That’s not good.

And the world hasn’t been the same since. You can visit the Jitterbug site here.

Cooper spearheaded Motorola’s efforts to produce a commercially-viable mobile device in 1973 to compete with AT&T’s efforts to produce a viable car phone; essentially, if one person can be credited with inventing the cellular phone, it is Martin Cooper.  Interestingly enough, the first official call that Cooper made on his cell phone was to Joel S. Engel at AT&T.

As Cooper describes in the interview, mobile technology has come a long way.  Motorola’s original cell phones, named the DynaTac, were about 11 inches long and 4 inches deep; they cost $3,900 when they first hit the market in 1983.  Phones have since shrunk in size and cost, but Cooper questions the direction that the market has taken in developing smart phones.

Martin Cooper is not opposed to smart phones; in fact, he is much happier with the Motorola Droid than he was with the iPhone.  But Cooper hoped that mobile companies would expand beyond smart phones into an array of custom interfaces and service plans.  As it stands, there are very few companies like Jitterbug and Just5 that offer simple experiences for users who want only the basic functions of the mobile phone, paramount of which are calling and receiving calls.

According to the CNN interview, Cooper uses three phones: the Motorola Droid, the Vertu (a $5,000 European phone), and the Jitterbug J.  He hopes that the market will, like he did, keep the needs of different customers in mind as they branch away from the smart phone.

Because of their marketing efforts toward non-traditional customers, Jitterbug’s phones have been accepted as a mainstream alternative to “smart phones” such as the iPhone and Blackberry. But as a popular mobile company that prides itself on simplicity and accessibility, Jitterbug has not been exempt from criticism.

We’ve scoured the internet looking for Jitterbug phone reviews to provide an independent resource for you to make an informed decision, and the primary consumer complaints about Jitterbug have been in the following categories: functional limitations, customer service, and coverage.

Functional limitations. Each model from the Jitterbug is a simple phone, so there will be fewer features than on most other popular brands. Customers seeking a phone to use as an mp3 device, gaming console, or web browser, for example, have been dissatisfied. The Jitterbug J has incorporated SMS messaging and Bluetooth capability to assuage some of these concerns.

Customer service. While many users have been satisfied with Jitterbug’s customer service, others, especially those from 2009 and earlier, have complained about the helpfulness of Jitterbug’s response team. In fact, the majority of complaints for each of the Jitterbug’s models has been regarding the customer service. Nonetheless, it seems that these customers found success after speaking with two or three representatives. As is the case with all phones, customers with some technological familiarity will have more success with troubleshooting than those with limited experience.

Coverage. Customers near heavily-wooded areas, such as the national forest areas of Idaho, Montana, West Virginia, Maine, and Alaska have experienced limited signals, or none at all. We recommend consulting the Jitterbug coverage map and speaking with a representative at the official jitterbug website to learn more about the service coverage.

As you may have already heard, the Jitterbug J Phone was recently decreased in price to $99, down from $147, a significant decrease and effectively opening up the phone to a whole additional price point. How will this affect its market share?

The market share of the Jitterbug Phone will increase by 20 – 30%

In my opinion, by decreasing the price by a third the company should see sales growth of about the same. Now there is no way to be sure, but I think it is safe to say that a 30% growth in phones is not excessive. This could prove to be huge for the company and future investments. By decreasing the price point of the phone, they increase the reliance on continuing phone plans to support the revenue stream. And what this shows is that they are confident in their plans and service, so confident in fact, that they are willing to, in effect, defer that revenue stream forward to developing relationships with their customers and building a solid business on good business practices.

This says a lot about the company and what they are setting out for in their future product development and customer relations development. They are willing to give up money now, because they know that the customers will be happy and stick around. Find out more about this at the Jitterbug website.

What does this price cut mean for the market of the Jitterbug Phone?

It means that it is very likely more people will buy and use the phone, thus increasing the “social status” or “social awareness” of the phone.  It will most likely make the phone more popular to its target audience, which in  this case is the senior market.  This could prove positive for the current and future users of the phone, as they will feel more “in tune” with the market and will have not have to worry about adopting a technology that will be viewed as obsolete or too expensive.  Jitterbug, by decreasing the price point of their phone, is opening up the phone to a customer that is, in many cases for seniors, on a fixed budget that can’t afford the initial $147 purchase price.  By taking $48 off the price, it is very likely many other people will take the company up on its offer, and give the phone a shot.

This move, in my opinion, will vastly increase the market share of the Jitterbug Phone.

The Jitterbug SPH-A110 (One-Touch) and SPH-A120 (Dial) both have a SAR rating of 0.5 W/KG, while the Jitterbug SPH-A310 (J) emits 1.357 W/KG. To put this into perspective, we can compare these ratings to other cellular phones from Samsung. The average Samsung device has a SAR rating of 1.02 W/KG. The highest SAR among Samsung phones is the SGH-C417 (1.51 W/KG); the lowest, the Eternity SGH-A867 (0.194 W/KG). In other words, the One-Touch and Dial are in the top 11% of Samsung devices for emitting low amounts of radiation, while the Jitterbug J is in the bottom 37%.

Of course, the Jitterbug Dial and Jitterbug One-Touch are no longer offered for sale, so what does this mean for the consumer who is concerned about the 1.02 W/KG of the Jitterbug J? There are several options. First, it is crucial to remember that about 37% of Samsung phones (and, roughly the same for all brands) emit more radiation than the Jitterbug J. This puts it well within one standard deviation of the mean; thus, it is statistically a common amount. Second, the Jitterbug J comes with both speakerphone and Bluetooth capability. These options can significantly reduce radiation exposure since the phone is no longer being placed directly against one’s head. Third, it is best to use the Jitterbug, like all phones, where there is a strong digital signal; Jitterbug, fortunately, has a large coverage map that can satisfy most American customers.

Finally, the best option for limiting radiation exposure is to limit one’s use of cellular phones. And since the Jitterbug J is designed for consumers who want only simple and limited use of their phones, the SAR may be inconsequential.

Specifically, I have doing lots of research and analysis regarding the Jitterbug Phone lately and have been reminded that, sometimes simplicity has a much higher value than complexity. Truly, people in some cases will pay more for a simple device than they will a complex device. This is the case for the Jitterbug J Phone. It is a beautifully simple cell phone, that acts more like a home phone than a cell phone. And there is a market, mainly people over 55, who really thrive on this simplicity in regards to technology. It is not social thing, as far as I can tell, but it is a practical thing. They keep their devices simple and easy to understand so they don’t have to worry about them and can focus on other things in life.

Truly, I believe that simplicity at some point soon, will be emphasized in technology more so than complexity. And I think we will find that we actually enjoy it.

GreatCall followed the “Dial” with the “Jitterbug J” in June, 2009. Though the phones are very similar, the “J,” or Samsung A-310, sports longer standby battery life, a larger and clearer screen, and Bluetooth capability. Unfortunately, it also comes with more radiation as measured by the Specific Absorption Rate. Here are some basic specifications for the two models:

A-110, A-120
SAR Rating: 0.5 W/KG
1.95″ x 3.73″ x 0.66″
4.4 oz
Speakerphone, Caller ID
180 minutes talk time
200 hours standby
128 x 160 pixels resolution
2″ display

A-310
SAR Rating: 1.357 W/KG
2.16″ x 3.87″ x 0.97″
4.06 oz
Bluetooth, Speakerphone, Caller ID
180 minutes talk-time
300 hours standby
176 x 220 pixels resolution
2.1″ display

User reviews of the Jitterbug Dial were mixed. Several consumers complained about the problematic communication they received from Jitterbug representatives regarding the ability to transfer the user’s previous phone number, reluctance to issue refunds, and the overall cost. The Jitterbug J retails for $147, which is somewhat steep for a basic mobile device. The Jitterbug Dial, though, is no longer offered.

According to the independent Jitterbug review aggregate jitterbugphonereviews.org, the Jitterbug J has been more well-received among consumers. There are fewer complaints about customer service (though the angry customers are just as angry), and users seem to enjoy the larger, clearer screen. In fact, most of those who complain about the customer service still complimented the phone for its usability. The price, on the other hand, is best suited for those who can afford a larger up-front cost in exchange for a month-by-month plan with minimal usage.

It seems unlikely that a consumer in this market would choose the more expensive Jitterbug plans, spending 1,000 minutes on a minimalistic phone. Someone wanting a plan with 1,000 minutes who is willing to pay $80/month for a phone should look for a more complex, customized smartphone. But with plans starting at 50 minutes for $14.99, the Jitterbug may be well-suited for those who are seeking the most basic possible cell phone.