Cingular Annual Electronic Gadget Gift Survey.

Once again, Cingular Wireless checked its list — not once but twice — to determine the electronic gadgets young people want for the holidays. This year, wireless camera phones, MP3 players, and video game systems and accessories are on the top of teens’ holiday wish lists.

In a survey conducted for Cingular Wireless by International Communications Research, teens aged 13 to 17 chose a wireless camera phone and service as one of the most desirable electronic gadget gifts to receive this holiday. Edged out only slightly by an MP3 player, which received top billing, wireless remains a hot item for the holidays — and it is only
getting hotter.

“What makes wireless so cool and so in demand is there’s something for everyone,” said David Garver, executive director of marketing at Cingular Wireless. “Wireless is more than just talking while mobile. Today’s wireless phones offer arcade-quality games, MP3-like ringtones, and integrated cameras as well as provide access to the Internet.”

Among the top gadgets desired by teens in 2004:
1) MP3 player
2) Wireless camera phone and service plan
3) Video game system and accessories
4) PC, software and accessories
5) Stereo, CD player and accessories
6) Digital camera

Reasons for Desiring a Wireless Gift

Among teens that ranked wireless products within their top half of most-desired gifts, approximately one-third (32 percent) want a wireless product to “keep in touch with friends and family.” This is a significant decrease over last year, when nearly half (46 percent) said they wanted wireless to keep in touch. Moving higher on the list of priorities this year are convenience and simply wanting one. One in five teens (20 percent) cite convenience, compared to only 2 percent in the 2003 study; slightly fewer (18 percent) “just want one,” compared to 8 percent last year.

Emergencies and safety concerns have actually decreased in importance this season. Only 10 percent want a wireless device for emergencies compared to 23 percent in 2003. Likewise, only 2 percent want one for safety reasons compared to 7 percent last year.

The Coolest of the Cool

The most desirable wireless product or service this year is a wireless camera phone, a significant shift from last year’s fourth-place ranking. Specialty ringtones, SMS messaging, wireless games and wireless Internet service round out the top five.