At Sonin we feel it’s important that we deliver the latest mobile app development news to our readers. From an industry that’s constantly evolving! Whether you’re new to mobile, an industry leader, a start-up or a multinational brand, having access to the latest mobile news is vital for your app development.
So, here are the top stories from July 2018. To make sure you don’t miss out on the latest mobile news, sign up for the Sonin newsletter today. Here are the quick links to the sections of our July Tech News:
Featured Tech News and Mobile Stories
Challenger Bank App Introduces IFTTT
Many people out there wish their finance app experience was smarter and more tailored to them. So, challenger bank Monzo has taken a step towards this with If This Then That (IFTTT) integration for their mobile app. Using IFTTT, users can now build their very own mini applets that are connected to their bank accounts. So, you could set up a rule that adds money to a spending pot for every mile you cycle. Or choose that any time you spend money in a particular store, it comes out of a specific pot in your account.
Monzo’s applets give users more control over their personal finance management, any of whom can create their very own automated rules to be shared with the community. This gives all the power of open banking APIs to ordinary people, no matter whether they can code or not.
Source: Wired
Connected Packaging Takes Advantage of NFC, AR and Facial Recognition
More and more retail companies today are taking advantage of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Emerging Technologies to drive customer engagement. One such company is beer brand Black Red Ale, whose new bottle label uses NFC to trigger an interactive Augmented Reality (AR) experience. One that brings to life the signature skull on the packaging.
But going one step further, the AR app also uses facial recognition technology to detect the consumer’s current mood. The interactive experience then changes depending on what emotion is recognised. With the scenario also changing depending on how the user answers various questions.
How can you use emerging tech and mobile to drive engagement? As well as create memorable experiences for your customers?
Source: Food Ingredients First
NHS Unveil New Digital Health App
NHS recently unveiled its new healthcare app which will greatly improve the patient experience, connecting users with their GPs. The app will allow patients to make GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions, manage their long-term conditions and access the 111 service for medical queries. And patients can do all this with just a few taps instead of joining a long queue of callers. All attempting to call their local surgery the minute it opens.
Source: Gov.co.uk
Mobile and Tech Stats of the Month
AI-Powered Customer Assistants Can Double Conversions
Skincare brand Olay doubled its sales conversion rates and increased its average basket size by introducing its AI-powered skincare assistant: Olay Skin Advisor. The platform uses machine learning to analyse problem areas and provide personalised products and skin care regimes.
Since its launch, the AI assistant has engaged with more than four million customers worldwide. It continues to offer tailored recommendations to tens of thousands of consumers every week, with 94 percent receiving unique suggestions. By investing in AI, the brand has improved customer engagement, driven sales and offered valuable, memorable experiences to consumers.
Source: Olay doubles conversion rates with AI-powered skincare adviser, VentureBeat reports (Mobile Marketer)
😎 🌟 🙌 <- The Secret to Increasing Your Open Rates
Mobile marketers LeanPlum analysed over 300 million mobile messages from both email and push notifications for their new report: Unlocking Engagement & Growth with Emojis. As it turns out, emojis don’t just add a bit of flair to your messages. They can increase the open rate of your push notifications by a staggering 85 percent. And, on top of that, emoji-powered push notifications boost your app retention by 28 percent!
For example, UK fashion brand Miss Selfridge experimented with emojis in their push notification campaigns. Through one of these tests, they saw an 81 percent lift in open rates and a 364 percent lift in revenue. The secret to increasing your app’s notification open rate is through tailored messages that use language your audience responds to.
Source: Unlocking Engagement and Growth with Emojis (LeanPlum)
Event Tech Can Improve Can Increase Productivity by 27% and Decrease Costs by up to 30%
Emerging tech like Augmented Reality is transforming event marketing. Because In the highly competitive events industry, standing out matters. Companies with the most eye-catching and creative displays will see the highest footfall. Because in the end, a standout display will secure a higher return on your investment. So it’s no surprise that more and more event marketers are turning to Augmented Reality. Transforming their exhibition stands into engaging, immersive experiences. AR drives traffic and helps you to secure sales.
Source: How Augmented Reality is Transforming the Events Industry