Mobile commerce shows promising growth in the United Kingdom
Mobile commerce has be
en growing in popularity in the United Kingdom. Several UK retailers and other businesses have begun adopting mobile commerce as a way to engage a new generation of consumers. Many UK consumers have become heavily reliant on their mobile devices, thus creating a promising opportunity for businesses to engage these people wherever they may be. A new study from Affiliate Window, an affiliate network based in the UK, shows that the efforts that companies are putting into mobile engagement are beginning to pay off.
Study shows mobile activity spikes by 13% in October
According to the study, mobile activity in the UK has grown by more than 13% in October, up from the 12% it had been in September of this year. The study suggests that the growth is largely due to the excitement being generated by the approaching holiday season. UK retailers are keen to ensure that the most important time of the year for them will pull in as many consumers as possible. These retailers have chosen mobile marketing as a way to engage consumers and have adopted mobile commerce to provide them with convenient services.
Android outperforms iOS
The study shows that sales made through mobile devices, including tablets, has reached 10.7% in the UK. This marks major progress in terms of UK mobile commerce, as this is more than double the mobile sales that were recorded in October 2011.The study also shows that the Android platform is the most popular amongst mobile consumers when it comes to purchase made from a mobile device. The platform saw a 26% growth in sales volume during September of this year, more than the 17% the iOS platform saw during the same period.
Momentum may dwindle after holiday season
Affiliate Window notes that much of the hype surrounding mobile commerce and activity is largely due to the upcoming holiday season. Retailers have been making a concerted effort to promote the services they offer mobile consumers. Whether mobile commerce will continue to grow in popularity after the holiday season has ended has yet to be seen.
3D Printshow hints at a new future for augmented reality
The 3D Printshow ended over the past weekend, drawing some 4,000 attendees to witness innovative uses in technology. The event brought technology enthusiasts from all over the world to London, where they were exposed to some of the most innovative used of 3D printing the world has ever seen. 3D printing is the process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital model. During the event, this process was exhibited well through the use of augmented reality.
Inition uses augmented reality to create innovative designs
Inition, a 3D creative technology company, was in attendance at the 3D Printshow, where it showed off some of its latest designs in the realm of 3D printing. The company’s exhibitions, which included a chocolate replica of co-founder Andy Milins’ brain, were created with the help of augmented reality. The technology allowed the company to make detailed digital models using data that was taken from other sources. In the case of the chocolate replica brain that was on display, this information came from an MRI scan, which was then converted into a format that was used to make an augmented reality digital model.
3D printing could benefit from augmented reality
Another exhibition from Inition were small models of trees that were created using 3D printing. This exhibition was part of an overarching project that encompassed the 3D Printshow. The project is called “People Wood” and was commissioned by the Hackney Council of Britain. The project is comprised of more than 400 3D printed trees, all created from digital models fashioned with the help of augmented reality technology.
Technology may have future in architecture
The 3D Printshow showed off how augmented reality could be used to make highly detailed digital models for 3D printing. The event also brought attention to how this technology might be used on a grander scale, such as in architecture. Augmented reality could be used to create detailed plans concerning an architectural project that could be highly valuable for those involved. As such, the technology continues to show that it may be more useful outside of the realm of marketing and entertainment.
