Gaiser’s company made a location-based mobile platform/app which enables customers to connect with the stores they shop at. Users are able to browse deals, locate stores and get discounts, among other features. The Retale Apple Watch App is the only app of this ilk which is ready for the launch of the Apple Watch, writes Jonny Evans for Computer World.
Selected app functions for the Apple Watch
The Retale team came to recognize some specific challenges when developing software for the Apple Watch: “a new context for interaction and a very small screen,” according to Gaiser. Interactions must be distilled to a bare minimum because the average Apple Watch user isn’t expected to look at their screen for longer than a few seconds.
With that in mind, the Retale app will only display store locations, opening hours, directions and notification alerts. Another important point is the Apple Watch’s reliance on the iPhone, which influences the rollout process.
The Apple Watch looks set to continue the digital transformation of retail, and chains must be careful to embrace the change in order to survive. Customers are set to benefit from greater access to information, which will improve their shopping experience and help them buy items for their lowest possible price.
Digital revolution in retail
Beacons is another technology which is already having an impact on retail, and it will also help the Apple Watch become a platform.
“In the beginning, the impact will be pretty similar to that of the iPhone, as both devices are intertwined. So anything that works with the Point Of Sale has great potential, most notably Apple Pay, or apps that push research online and purchase offline, like Retale. This will spark a usability boost for Beacon technology over the long-term,” said Gaiser.
According to some, Apple Pay has become the market leader for mobile payments, with its users most likely to spend large amounts of money than those of other platforms. Gaiser claims that a standalone Watch product would further increase the impact of beacons.
The Apple Watch could play an important role in the digital revolution that the retail industry is experiencing, and we will find out more at Apple’s event on March 9.
