“The future will be owned by those companies that harness technology to make the consumer shopping experience easy, efficient and fun”. This is the concluding prediction from Nielson’s retail forecast, which has found that by 2015 Smart Phones will be the primary vehicle to engage retail customers.  And this is no surprise to us, given what we found in our iPhone study.

The advantage of the Smart Phone for consumers is that it can deliver personalised messages, and tailored experiences to the individual – in real time. According to Nielson, geographically specific information on price, promotion and product will transform the retail landscape. Price will take a back seat in driving traffic, as retailers contend to differentiate themselves by their digital and social media strategies.

Apps that enrich the shopping experience will be the front-runners in gaining customer loyalty, distinguishing themselves as the brands that make shopping easier. Nielson suggests that by 2015 Smart Phones will manage “everything from household budgets and pantry inventory to tax preparation and filing”. In a world where this technology is present in the most ordinary of chores, retailers that simplify tasks and give consumers informed choices will keep ahead.

In 2010, we are already seeing a dramatic shift in shopping behaviour and customer mindsets – now it’s up to brands and retailers to respond.

Last week was a buzz with all the talk of the new iPhone  4.  What was interesting to read was how much it delivered in terms of the issues current iPhone users whinge about.  Our iPhone community highlighted a number of areas iPhone users would like to see improved.

Firstly the camera.  While the iPhone generally has managed to replace the need for carrying a separate  iPod, diary, and so forth, it was not the case with the camera.  Our iPhone community members told us that the low quality camera meant  they rarely relied on it and certainly did not see it as a replacement for their digital camera.  But an improvement from three to five megapixels with 5x digital zoom and  inbuilt LED flash will certainly make a difference.

“I’m sure the next generation iPhone will have a great camera and that gives you a reason to upgrade.”    Glenn, iPhone community member

What else did our members want to see improved :

• Multi-tasking – again the iPhone 4 will fulfill this requirement
• Screen rotation lock - we got it for iPad but as far as I know not the iPhone still does not readily allow for this.
• Flash Player – doesn’t look like this is going to happen

Will these and other improvements be enough of a reason to upgrade?  Not sure but the latest figures reported in Adnews today show the iPhone is certainly taking the lead in the Smartphone market, which doesn’t surprise us given our findings in our iPhone Insights Community.

Updated 17/06/10:  Going on the strength of pre-orders it seems the iPhone 4 is enough of a reason to upgrade.  According to SmartCompany pre-orders of iPhone hit new record with 600,000 in one day.

While debate rages whether the iPad is set to save or redefine publishing, consumers are quietly contemplating whether there is room in their lives for another digital device. We know it looks pretty, and had Apple-cool credentials, but do we really need one?

Even amongst Apple fans there is some question about the purpose of owning an iPad. To this end the answer is often, ‘what’s the point?’. We’ve already got desktops, laptops, gaming units, smartphones, and maybe even ebook readers. Or maybe we’re missing the  actual point, that its not the iPhone users who will rush to embrace the iPad, but others who don’t see it as an overgrown version of their smartphone.

Our study of iPhone users, via an Online Insights Community, revealed that for most, the iPad wasn’t high up on their wish list. It was considered too large to be truly portable, and the lack of connectivity to other hardware meant that it wasn’t a legitimate substitute for a laptop or netbook. Beyond the obvious compatibility concerns is the issue that it is difficult to imagine a use for the iPad. Especially when many people felt that it would predominantly be used in-home. There is speculation that ‘maybe it will be good for…’ but not a lot of ‘I need it for…’.

“It doesn’t fulfill any need I have, so it’s not even a consideration for me”

It will be interesting to observe too, how quickly iPad users take up paid apps, especially those related to publishing and media. iPhone users are quick to identify that there’s a mounting cost once you factor in the hardware, data download and the price of apps. Justifying the additional spend on iPad apps, will require a change of attitude and behaviour in the consumption of content. It’s early days and iPad is the latest toy, but many people are waiting to see both how a second-gen iPad will differ, and how the publishing world will respond with apps.

And despite all the debate about whether there is a need for such a device, 1 million iPads were sold in just 28 days (compared to the 74 days it took to sell this many iPhones).  So while we may not see a need for it – it seems the iPad may find a place in our lives.

And me – well I’m like the million others who want another toy, whether I need it or not!