Presence Orb is a high-tech service that provides anonymized data streams that could be used in a wide variety of ways in retail and general public settings. The technology effectively 'listens' to cellphone signals and uses that information to assess where people are. This could be used for example for you to figure out how busy a store or restaurant is before you get there so you can plan accordingly.
Interestingly, Presence Orb started out as a home security system that sent alerts upon detecting unfamiliar smartphones -- but this only works if the thief has a smartphone on them. For that reason, the company began to wisely re-engineer their idea and target it towards the advertising and retail space.
To minimize privacy concerns, Presence Orb is set up to provide aggregate data on groups rather than individuals, with identification of specific smartphones only possible if the smartphone's owner gives their clear consent.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Smartphone Location Tracking
- Opportunity for businesses to track customer traffic and deliver targeted promotions based on real-time activity data.
- Anonymized Data Streams
- Potential for companies to leverage data streams for a range of use cases, from improving customer experience to optimizing store layouts.
- Privacy-first Solutions
- Growing demand for solutions that protect personal privacy while still allowing businesses to collect valuable data for decision-making purposes.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Retail
- Presence Orb provides an opportunity for retailers to analyze customer traffic in real-time and optimize store layouts to increase sales.
- Advertising
- Presence Orb can help businesses deliver targeted advertising messages to customers in real-time based on their location data.
- Hospitality
- Presence Orb can be used to manage wait times for restaurants and other hospitality businesses, allowing customers to make informed decisions about where to go.
