How The New iPhone 8 And NFC Will Change Customer Experience
In this guest post, Geronimo CEO Matt Hunt (pictured below), explains how ‘The Apple Effect’ will complete the ecosystem for NFC marketing.
‘The Apple Effect’: up to 90 per cent of smartphones could be interacting with the physical world through NFC.
The same smartphone technology that allows you to use Apple Pay is now going to be unleashed for marketing and information interactions by Apple. That technology is NFC, which stands for near field communication. It works by bringing your phone close to objects that have NFC tags in or on them, delivering specific content to your mobile and driving more meaningful interactions. It’s the same technology used in Android Pay, Samsung Pay or your bank’s tap and pay cards/apps. We call it tapping.
The Apple Effect is the noticeable uptick in device and tech adoption whenever Apple launches a new iteration of existing technology – the Apple Watch in the wearables market, the iPad in the tablet market, large screens in smartphones. NFC is no different – it too will thrive from The Apple Effect.
In some countries like Australia, iPhone users make up around 45 per cent the smartphone market. So, for marketers, because NFC didn’t work on iPhone, it wasn’t really worth spending budget on NFC marketing.
The iPhone 7, 7 Plus and the new iPhone 8 will allow users to read NFC tags attached to or embedded in objects. We expect Core NFC to be also available for Apple Watch owners when the new version of its operating system is released. Apple Watch, OS4 is expected in September also. The Internet of Things (IoT) is about to get a whole lot bigger. For the past six years, brands and their agencies have been able to use NFC to reach around 30 per cent of the smartphone audience. From the middle of this month, this percentage will start climbing to around 90 per cent of smartphones in some countries. Globally, it is predicted that there will be 1.9 billion NFC devices in 2018.
The marketing and information use cases for NFC are wide and varied, but from our experience, fall into four main categories:
Public spaces and infrastructure
NFC will likely become part of the urban fabric deployed across signage, phone boxes, stadiums, bus stops, trains, buses, trams and parks. Enabling advertising street furniture with NFC is another big area, and the below video shows how with Xbox Halo on JCDecaux.
Retail
Brands including Google and Samsung have used NFC for customer feedback in retail and product information in retail. Other use cases include: catalogues, coupon redemption, recipes, food origin, offers and app downloads.
Product
Since the chips are wafer thin, you can easily put them into things like shoes and clothing. Tapit once enabled beer/drink coolers so you could ‘tap for a joke’ at a comedy festival for Jameson whisky.
Packaging
Imagine tapping a box of LEGO with your phone to instantly buy the LEGO mobile game.
There are lots of other use cases as well.
So, is The Apple Effect about dominant market share? Apple shipped 50 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2017, giving it 14 per cent global market share, with Samsung shipping 80.2 million units in the same period or 23 per cent. The rest of the smartphone market is dominated by Android-based phones from suppliers like Oppo, Huawei and Vivo. Android dominates the global smartphone market, with around 80.7 per cent devices shipped in the last quarter of 2016 versus 17.7 per cent for iOS smartphones. With global figures like this, you would think NFC tag reading would take off without Apple, but this isn’t the case
It’s reached a stage now where many people think that if Apple doesn’t have the technology, then there must be something wrong with it. This has probably come from the fact that when Apple does do something with new technology, often it is superior to anything else in the market from a quality and user experience perspective, as well as industrial design.
From September or October this year, we can expect iPhone 8 to start shipping in the same or bigger volumes as people replace their older devices.
From a customer experience point of view, this means that an additional 80 million people per quarter will be able to interact with physical objects using their phone.
For an iPhone user, they will either be able to tap via existing apps or download specific NFC reader apps.
The market has shifted – already it’s thinking on NFC. At TapIt, we have seen a spike in interest from large brands since Apple announced iOS 11. In turn, we expect most retail environments to have some element of interactivity in them over the next year or so – even if it’s something as simple as tap here to download the retailers’ app or to get a recipe or a coupon, or a prompt to tap items of interest and then buy them later via an app. For an example, take a look at this video from Hointer.
It’s not just about just changing retail patterns, it’s about using the full power of mobile to create a personalised, end-to-end customer experience for your brand. The whole idea of tag reading with NFC is to make things easier for people. Instead of having to browse or type in URLs, you can simply tap your phone on the object to connect that physical object to your phone, directly and deeply linking to information you need.
The Apple Effect will complete the ecosystem for NFC marketing, enabling a connected world where people will expect to tap their phone for a deep personalised interaction.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Apple Apple Pay Geronimo iPhone 8 Matt Hunt near field communication NFC NFC marketingLatest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.