Camera – check, Connectivity – check, Community – check.
Now m-Commerce is the way forward
Now we know what the new iPhone 5 means for consumers 😉 lets take a look at what the latest launch in the iPhone series could possibly mean for digitally-led marketers.
The key features of the Phone 5 are arguably a new, larger screen, higher quality camera (eight megapix), faster connectivity and a longer battery life.
Content
The increase in screen size comes as good news for content makers who are already focused on mobile and tablets, and is also representative of the trend in consumption of high definition content on the go. It also offers a greater playing field for mobile display ads, giving them the possibility to be richer and more engaging.
The iPhone 5 won’t come with the YouTube app pre-installed, however it will offer new instant Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar. YouTube has created its own app which will be available in the App Store.
Purchase & Payment
Apple is pushing its new closed system Passbook technology, rather than Google Wallet. Passbook is being implemented by brands like Virgin Australia and functionality includes storage of tickets, membership cards, management of check-ins etc. Passbook has in-built live updates – for example late flight departure alerts – and is a step towards the digital wallet that Google has already surpassed. This may be a missed opportunity to give consumers and third parties an open system that works across devices seamlessly.
However, the oportunities for marketers are significant: because Passbook runs continually, users won’t need to open an app to interact with a brand. Using GPS, consumers can be sent a voucher or find out about deals and offers near them while they’re in a shopping centre, for example.
But, one interesting omission is the lack of a near field communication chip (NFC), which had been hotly tipped to be the new way of connecting with consumers, with some outdoor advertising companies already investing in the technology. NFC gives consumers the ability to swipe a phone to pay for purchases and is used by Google’s cash free development Google Wallet and has been trialed, with initial perceived success by some businesses in the UK during the 2012 Olympic period.
Clarity
The new screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio display, which is great for app developers far and wide who will now have to reformat every single app design *sigh.  Imagine the cost in aggregate terms… this seems a blunder from Apple. Until the app icons are updated they will display a  ‘letterboxed’ version.
New capabilities and devices, such as the iPhone 5, offer marketers additional opportunities to enhance consumers’ in-store shopping experience. ‘Showroom’ shoppers are extremely savvy and willing to listen to and engage with brands via their mobile devices; marketers will want to identify and reach out to encourage those shoppers to use their brands’ mobile presence as a key resource while they’re in-store.
Overall, there’s no huge technology leap but It does suggest that marketers who aren’t considering how to reach the consumer on the move already need to immerse themselves in mobile or risk falling behind the pack. M-commerce is the looking like the most important marketing issue to focus on going forward into 2013.