- This video is sponsored by Qualcomm.
When you hear the name Qualcomm,
you probably think of the Snapdragon processors
that you'll find in billions of Android devices
as well as the 5G modems and antennas
that are powering the next wave of mobile connectivity.
What you probably don't think of though is retail.
However, as I learned at NRF 2022,
Qualcomm is actually heavily invested in the future
of retail experiences that are transforming the way we shop.
Let's talk about it.
(soft music)
All right, so Qualcomm is getting into retail
and the result is that retail is getting more efficient,
better connected and a lot more fun
thanks to Qualcomm who at NRF showcased how IoT technologies
are helping retailers digitally transform their stores
to deliver enhanced
and more relevant experiences for their customers, employees
and operations as a whole.
Qualcomm is aiming to create smoother shopping experiences
that don't leave customers frustrated
at the lack of connectivity
or the need to pull out a credit card
with every single purchase.
Instead it's doing what it does best.
Making consumer electronics smarter so shoppers
can get in and out of stores faster
and choose how they wanna shop
without having to fumble around with their wallet.
To do this,
Qualcomm is leaning on its expertise in wireless
and connected technologies, chip design, AI, security
and more.
From smart shopping carts for frictionless checkout
to immersive smart displays with innovative features,
we're likely gonna see an uptick of technology in the store
in the next few years.
Now these are a few of the technologies
that stuck out to me personally.
First, smart shopping carts.
There are a couple of incarnations here
but the idea is the same,
save time when you're shopping at a retail store.
When you're browsing and shopping, things are fine usually.
You're in the zone.
Then you need to go to the checkout area and wait.
You wait in a line, you wait for items to be scanned
and then you pay.
Smart shopping carts eliminate that waiting.
There are smart carts that can see
what you have in your cart as soon as you add items to it,
allowing you to simply check out
right on a built-in display
or if you have an account set up with saved payment info,
you can authenticate biometrically
and just walk out of the store
with payment happening in the background.
Now I imagine this innovation alone
will be one of the biggest time savers
especially during busy shopping seasons.
Next, touchless displays.
Now people love touch displays
but the next wave is touchless.
I think the last couple of years
have taught a lot of us about the importance
of keeping our hands clean when we are out and about.
And these touchless displays
that Qualcomm had in their booth
show that retailers are aware of this change.
Imagine walking up to a display
and simply gesturing at it to quickly place an order.
No need to touch anything,
but you're able to browse a full menu at your leisure.
Statistics even say that customers
who can browse at their own pace end up spending more too.
Then there's the Digital Electronic Shelf Labels.
Once I saw this,
I wondered why this change hadn't happened sooner.
Retail stores currently have to pay people
to manually change the price tags on the shelves
when prices change or to add before sale tags
and to remove those tags when they expire.
What Qualcomm was demoing are connected
shopping labels that use E-ink.
They can be changed in batches remotely
to be updated with new pricing or new products.
They can even auto update
when a product is no longer on the shelf and out of stock,
display a QR code instead
that you can scan with your smartphone
to buy the item
and have it shipped to your home for example.
The E-ink part is important too
as it allows for an incredibly long
several-year battery life for the digital labels.
And one other cool thing about these labels,
they can be used to get your attention.
If you or a personal shopper
is in that aisle looking for something specific,
you can have that label start blinking when you're near it
so you know exactly what you're trying to get.
So maybe you want the gluten free cereal
instead of the organic version
and that label can guide you to exactly
what you're looking for.
Now while these things are great for the shopper,
Qualcomm is also simultaneously addressing the needs
of retailers as well.
Those shopping labels
mean workers can focus on more important tasks
than mundanely walking the aisles
to change pricing stickers.
Smarter handheld scanners
allow for instantly checking stock levels.
Robotic carts can follow and associate around a store
with items that need to be added to a shelf.
And in some scenarios the robot
can take care of stocking the shelf itself.
Smart cameras can assist in making sure
people aren't in areas of the store
that they aren't supposed to be in
and that workers are wearing the proper safety gear
required to be in other certain areas
and they can even help with loss prevention.
Despite the rise of ordering things online,
physical retail stores still remain very relevant
for several different reasons.
And it's great to see that they're innovating here
to make it more convenient and address the aspects
of in-person retail that turn people off to the experience.
I know for me, if I can have avoid a checkout line
with a smart shopping cart during the holiday season,
I would be a changed man.
Of course there are other ways
Qualcomm is looking to improve this experience.
Things like the aforementioned, biometric payments,
digital signage, inventory automation
and wireless technology enhancements like 5G and WiFi six
and eventually WiFi seven
which will offer wireless speeds similar
to Thunderbolt three.
Now what are your thoughts on how connected technology
can make retail store shopping easier, more convenient
and even more fun?
Have you had the chance to check out
any of these stores in person yet?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments
and I'll meet you there for further discussion.
Thanks for watching as always guys.
I appreciate your support.
I'm Andru Edwards and I'll catch you in the next video.