Stay Ahead Of Ground Breaking Changes In Mobile Development

Smartphones and, increasingly, wearable technologies are constantly changing the way people interact with the world around them. Many new technologies are in their infancy and 2016 promises to bring explosive growth in these areas. Mobile apps are reshaping the ways consumers shop, pay, socialize, connect, and live. Businesses not only need to keep up, they need to change expectations in their industries to remain part of the digital landscape. Beacons, wearables, and Near-field communications are only some of the ways smartphone and wearable technology is reshaping user experiences.

Beacons

Beacon technology is a paradigm breaker when it comes to enhancing in-store user experience as well as internal operations. Far from spelling the end of traditional, brick-and-mortar shopping, value-added retail apps are on the cusp of rewriting the script for the in-store experience. Beacons use geo-specific broadcasters to send information to nearby receivers, communicating directly to shoppers’ smartphones based on their movements. Promotion alerts on nearby merchandise and push notifications based on in-store behaviour can transform a customer’s visit into an interactive experience.

Image Source: Pixabay

Proximity tracking can also be used to analyze metrics that were previously judged by guesswork, including foot traffic or the correlation between customer service time spent and customer satisfaction. Tracking can speed up restaurant service by allowing servers to send orders directly from tables while merchandisers can optimize displays by mapping shoppers’ trajectories through a store.

Wearables

Smartwatches and other wearable technologies are expected to be at the forefront of the Internet of Things, and it’s a rich field for development. After the first wave of early adopters, wearables users are becoming harsher critics and expect serious value out of their devices. Tech blog Betakit has predicted that in 2016, successful wearables development will emphasize data collection and enterprise-side functions.

NFC Payments

In industries like QSR (quick serve restaurants), customers can never be served quickly enough, and industry leaders are listening. Near-field communication (NFC) has quickened the payment process by allowing consumers to pay by tapping their phones. If you’ve ever stood in a Tim Hortons lineup at rush hour while someone ahead of you is counting out nickels, you’ll appreciate how valuable tap payment methods can be. Using a gift card system rather than tap technology in credit cards, Tim Hortons customers can now tap with their phones through an app developed by Clearbridge Mobile. Consumers are giving up cash and plastic faster than ever in favour of tailor-made NFC payments that allow their phones to become all-purpose wallets. Trips to the ATM and even credit card bills are increasingly seen as cumbersome, time-wasting payment methods now that digital technology is beginning to streamline point of sale interactions.

When your company is looking for a collaborator on improving your app service, look for developers who have experience working with clients who demand nothing short of top-of-the-line products. Clearbridge Mobile, for example, has worked with major corporations like Shell, Tim Hortons, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Telus that need on-brand, end-to-end digital products that hold up to their international reputations.One example of their work is the We365 project, developed for Free the Children and Telus to connect activist youth,honoured by the Webby Awards for its visual design. When your brand needs to reenergize its digital presence, work with an innovative firm with its eye always on new avenues to expand user experiences with your company. This great blog on mobile development is an invaluable resource if you need more information on how your company can capitalize on emerging trends like beacons, tvOS, or wearable technologies like smartwatches. Stay ahead of the curve and contact an award-winning developer to find out how your company can expand its horizons.