I obviously have to blog about the iPhone, since I hopped on the bandwagon this Saturday. As I am currently enjoying a 4 day break in between winter session and spring, I had time to chase around my iPhone delivery at FedEx and spend my days learning the ins and outs of this new technology. Not only is the phone the biggest upgrade my life has ever experienced, it enhances my day to day significantly. Bye bye BBM, hello Siri!
Some of my favorite features so far include:
- I can basically touch random buttons without making an effort and the phone will figure out what I’m saying
- When I send people pictures they can actual make out the objects in clear definition
- I can listen to my iTunes music, research a workout on BodyRock.Tv, answer a text and calculate how many calories I’m burning with Nike +, all on the same device, while on the treadmill
- I don’t have any excuse to not read the Washington Post and stay informed
- I can find out the weather by touching one button
- I can see my boyfriend’s face anytime I want
- The app store is unlimited, as are the opportunities I have yet to discover on this magical pink touch screen wonder
On a more serious note, I just read a really interesting article, “Get Ready for a World of Connected Devices”, that shines light on the ever-changing world of digital media. Just as Ketchum executive Nick Ragone said during my PRSSA visit to D.C., “The challenge in PR these days is creating content that is so relevant that it will filter through our carefully selected channels”. Consumers are now able to have a personalized media experience wherever they go. For example, sites like Pandora allow consumers to listen to selected music on their computers, smartphones, tablets and in their cars. This article emphasizes that, “The implication [for marketers] is that you’ll need to reassess how people discover and keep informed about your product or service.” For example, people will listen to the car radio less now because they can access Pandora in their car, so there goes your 30-second advertisement.
According to the GSMA, a worldwide association of mobile operators and related companies, there are 9 billion connected devices in the world today, (meaning connected to the internet). By 2020, there will be 24 billion and over half of them will be non-mobile devices such as household appliances like TVs, cars, washing machines and refrigerators (Really??). The possibilities are really endless, as you can see through all the iPhones abilities, and that’s just a mobile device. Having the iPhone has eliminated my need to go to bankofamerica.com on my lap top, to buy a notebook, to use a GPS, to look up movie times in the newspaper, or to own a camera, iPod, stopwatch, Gameboy, the list goes on. We’ve seen this technology begin to merge into cars and TV’s, like Ford’s connected car that integrates smartphone apps and Samsung’s Smart TV (below). Marketers need to realize that the internet will begin to empower everything else around us, besides smart phones and computers.
The bad news for marketers is that these tools narrow the range of broadcast media where you can easily reach consumers. The good news is that because media is so much more personalized now, you will be able to target your message more precisely to the audience you want to reach, through the internet’s smart data collection abilities. Fascinating stuff, right!?
stephaniewight 
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