Curious to know the upcoming 2023 technology trends? At World Cinema, we researched the industry and developed the following top two technology upgrades you can expect to see in the upcoming year:

Robots?

While we don’t expect robots to ever replace authentic, human-centered interaction, we do expect they’ll continue to grow in influence, making them the number one 2023 technology trend. Automated technology helps hotels with operations, the behind-the-scenes. The hotels that have used this technology exceptionally well are those that use automation to power the guest experience, using robotics to perform mundane tasks in order to provide time for employees to provide better, more personalized hands-on customer service. For instance, Dream Hollywood has implemented two robots that they use to deliver extra toiletries, etc. to guests. This frees up team members to provide those really exceptional experiences luxury guests are looking for.

However, it’s important to maintain the balance between using robots to automate operations without interfering negatively with the guest experience. People still want to interact with people, and what Dream Hollywood is doing differently is integrating their robots into the guest experience, and having them accompany staff and perform otherwise mundane duties is where they’re differentiating themselves positively.

Guest Demands

Guests are absolutely delighted when they see guest-facing robotics. They are quite savvy, however, to automation, especially when it takes away, rather than enhances, their experience. For instance, guests are not particularly thrilled when they check in at a kiosk, especially if they aren’t given the option of speaking with an agent at the desk. At boutique hotels, in particular, guests are in no particular hurry, they aren’t looking to minimize content and speed up their time in the hotel. They prefer to be greeted by a guest agent and then, say, handed a personalized cocktail by a robot in the lobby. Keeping that human connection is essential as we mix robotics and automation into the guest experience.

Enhanced Connectivity

Wireless networking technology is constantly evolving both from a features and value standpoint. Exceptionality occurs when connectivity solutions are not only scalable but transcend flawless functionality across all industries and their respective applications, both current and future, without impacting the customer. We’ve gone from providing a commoditized product to designing and executing digital business strategies, which focus on developing unique customer-centric solutions that are in alignment with end-user device and application modernization.

The average consumer is reliant on robust internet connectivity in their daily lives, to not only entertain themselves but to work, socialize and interact with the outside world. In addition to supporting residents’ personal devices, apartment Wi-Fi needs to support the property’s common areas and associated devices like cameras, lock systems, etc. Multifamily communities typically feature some sort of business area which advertises free Wi-Fi for residents to use at their leisure.

Process Automation

Automation is a growing sector of all enterprise, hospitality, and multifamily operations. Smart thermostats and lighting devices can significantly improve energy efficiency and financial performance for multifamily communities by monitoring usage and remotely controlling operations, with some companies reporting savings of 10-15% (Think Energy, 2022). Smart thermostats can adapt to a property’s unique needs through artificial learning, motion detectors, and pattern recognition, creating a seamless experience for residents and staff. Updating property technology with updated technologies like temperature controls and smart lighting allows management to monitor energy usage in real-time, providing insight into how the property is consuming energy.

Access Control

Access control is an increasingly important component of smart building technology as it enhances safety and security for communities. This value-added service offering is beneficial for residents, guests, and staff in addition to building owners and managers as it simplifies remote monitoring and security management. When combined with an AI-based common area camera system, properties can use facial recognition to allow or refuse access to specific areas. Additionally, managers can utilize video-based intercom systems and remote boundary alerts to enhance security and monitor suspicious activity.

Today, we’re joined by Jonas Bjorklund, Vice President of the Aptilo Product Line at Enea, to discuss the role of Wi-Fi in cellular convergence. Jonas shares that the rollout of Wi-Fi 6E has produced a new level of optimism for service providers, and how the emerging technologies will optimize Wi-Fi offloading. Listen to this episode to learn how using existing Wi-Fi infrastructures could make achieving the goal of convergence easier than expected.

Download the Enea Strategy Guide for Wi-Fi in the 5G Era: https://info.enea.com/wifi-strategy-guide

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6: https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-certified-6

For Wi-Fi Alliance: www.wi-fi.org

For Membership Info: https://www.wi-fi.org/membership

General Contact: https://www.wi-fi.org/contact-us

As a business owner, growing your business is a goal that involves many processes and tools that can improve the efficiency of your marketing efforts. Marketing automation performs repetitive tasks automatically to boost your business. It takes on social media, email outreach, workflows, data and analytic preparation, and other marketing efforts taking time-consuming tasks off your hands and allowing you to focus on other essential aspects of growing your business.  

Marketing automation is a beneficial tool that can help you nurture leads, improve productivity, and help speed up the conversion process. Any business, large or small, can benefit from marketing efforts that allow you to scale across multiple platforms while simultaneously reducing your time and effort. The key is truly understanding your customers and taking advantage of marketing automation tools that engage your clients and make the most of your marketing budget.  

Lead Generation  

Marketing automation provides a better customer experience through engaging lead generation and nurturing. Your lead generation can gather details and provide you with information on people who visit your business’s social media or website. 

Your workflow can be triggered when your customer takes certain actions or through specific events, such as visiting a particular page or adding something to their cart. While it may seem impersonal, great marketing tools allow you to customize each lead’s messages, providing a more personalized experience. 

Lead Nurturing 

Many of your leads may not be ready to buy. To close more deals, you must also nurture those leads and build a foundation for a solid professional relationship. The more you understand your customers, the better you can target them and develop relationships with your prospects throughout the sales funnel stages. 

Improved Sales Productivity 

Marketing automation boosts sales productivity and creates a more effective sales team. Sales teams that spend time and effort on cold calls to leads who may not be interested can waste time. With marketing automation, they can spend more time nurturing relationships with customers genuinely interested in your business. Among the companies that have adopted automation, the most promising use cases are in the sales function. Some of these companies reported an increase in productivity of up to 10 percent. But the exact figure will vary based on your starting point. 

Better Data and Analytics 

Metrics are essential to understand your growth as you manage a marketing automation system. You can track results through the software that lets you see your sales performance and find areas where you need to improve. Marketing and sales work cohesively to develop more robust strategies for customers and sales teams. Analyzing customer data through a CRM system allows you to quickly send the right messages at the right time, encouraging sales and future visits to your business. 

More Effective Sales Conversion 

Any good marketing strategy analyzes the customer base to be able to target people who would most likely be interested in a product or service. The teams then develop marketing efforts to get their brand name in front of these people to increase their odds of sales. With marketing automation platforms, sales teams can manage their leads from the first touch to the closing of a deal. They can personalize the experience with content and offers that compel your customers with relevant information and products they are more likely to enjoy and benefit from. 

Marketing automation is a cost-effective way to produce more leads, build relationships, and close deals efficiently, building brand loyalty within your customer base. By leveraging marketing automation, your marketing and sales teams can focus time and energy on developing solid strategies, creating more content, and engaging more with high-priority customers that need in-person engagement. 

GoZone is a SaaS company and leader in monetizing guest WiFi. The company offers business analytics, venue intelligence, marketing automation and guest engagement to customers that use guest WiFi networks. Delivering branded content, providing customer analytics, and displaying advertising on WiFi networks can give any business a new engagement channel. 

GoZone’s Smart WiFi Suite enables WiFi monetization through rich location data, marketing engagements, and third-party sponsorships. GoZone’s venue intelligence enables enterprises to refine operations strategically, bridging the gap between marketing and IT. 

Learn more at https://www.gozonewifi.com/marketing4wifi/ 

In marketing, data is at the heart of any essential marketing plan. Without data, you’re essentially creating a marketing plan blindly. The data you gather plays a significant role in how successful your business goals and strategies are.

Data collection can be managed through several avenues, including collecting data from online sources, second-party data, qualitative research, and quantitative research. Understanding how your business can benefit from each kind of data can lead you to make better decisions for your business.

Qualitative Research

Usually, the first step in data collection, qualitative research, is collected through first-hand observations and experiences. The data is collected through focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, or video recordings.

Qualitative research is a method to collect data and understand the trends and meanings behind the areas under investigation. From attitudes to business processes, small and large businesses use qualitative research to understand how people feel about products, services, and more. The data is used to develop and upgrade products and create marketing campaigns.

Quantitative Research

On the other hand, quantitative research focuses on more data-driven results from numbers and statistics. Data is collected from several sources, including surveys, Likert scales, and questionnaires, and information such as age and demographics is gathered.

The data is presented through charts, graphs, and tables and is analyzed to deliver information for businesses to make decisions. Statistical data allows researchers to make generalizations and predictions but needs to dive deep into more details to provide a complete picture.

Online Data Collection

As technology advances, businesses and individuals have moved much of their information online. The data from consumers is readily available and can be captured from several sources. Companies have been utilizing online data collection as a primary source of information for business decisions.

Information can be gathered without compromising the safety of consumers and allows businesses to improve their marketing strategies, increasing sales by getting a better understanding of their audience and consumers. Data can give enterprises a picture of trends, what customers like and dislike, and make snap decisions vital to the business’s success.

Second-Party Data

Businesses can use second-party data for diving further into their audience behaviors and information for more targeted marketing. The data is collected from trusted sources and provide information tailored to your business’s needs. The data reveals patterns in behaviors and identify and predicts customers’ needs.

Businesses must carefully select second-party collaborations, ensure customers’ data is secure, and agree with how the data will be used and shared. This relationship between the second-party service and marketers creates a safe place to build reliable consumer insights.

Cost Aggregation

All businesses have a budget to allocate towards spending for responsible project management. Cost aggregation is a tool that companies use to add up the predicted costs and total them for an entire project.

Accurate numbers are essential in marketing and planning strategies, and the process can be complex. Pulling data from multiple platforms into one user interface requires reconciliation which can take several steps. Time and effort go into the standardization of the reports. Once the reports are standardized, analyzing for insights is crucial for future actions and essential business decisions.

GoZone WiFi is a SaaS company and leader in monetizing and managing Guest WiFi. The company offers business analytics, venue intelligence, and guest engagement using WiFi networks to deliver branded content, provide customer analytics, and display advertising.

GoZone’s Smart WiFi Suite of products enables WiFi monetization through rich location data, marketing engagements, and third-party sponsorships. GoZone’s venue intelligence enables enterprises to refine operations strategically, bridging the gap between marketing and IT.

Learn more at https://www.gozonewifi.com/marketing4wifi/

Cognitive Systems Corp. has developed WiFi Motion, software that turns all your connected devices into motion sensors without installing any additional hardware. The software runs on WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 Internet routers to provide whole-home awareness of movement by sensing and deciphering small changes in WiFi signals travelling through the air.

“WiFi Motion is being offered as an optional service by more and more Internet Service Providers (ISPs),” said Bob El-Hawary, executive vice president of worldwide sales at Cognitive Systems. “Since January 2020, 120+ ISPs have installed WiFi Motion in approximately one million homes. The initial focus has been on home security applications.”

Currently, Cognitive Systems is refining its core WiFi sensing technology, and supporting partners on applications such as:

1. Home security – WiFi Motion provides alerts about unusual movements of residents and possible intruders to homeowner applications.
2. Smart home – WiFi Motion provides data about the presence of residents to help home automation software determine if lighting, blinds and temperature should be changed.
3. Wellness monitoring – WiFi Motion provides data about residents’ movement patterns to determine if support is required.

“We anticipate rapid growth in adoption of WiFi Motion as more ISPs offer the service and as more Smart Home vendors take advantage of the data,” said El-Hawary. “There are many future applications, such as home automation, expanded health applications, and data analytics, for WiFi-based motion detection.”

Cognitive Systems is a Waterloo, Ont. high-tech success story that too few are aware of. Since it was founded in 2014, it has set out to enhance the value of wireless signals. The co-founders drew upon their expertise in silicon design, radio frequency (RF), and cryptography to create a new way to interpret wireless signals. Cognitive Systems has achieved an enviable position of owning its entire intellectual property (IP) stack consisting of:

1. WiFi signal processing software.
2. Machine learning algorithms.
3. Predictive analytics software.
4. More than 150 awarded patents.

WiFi Motion appeals to homeowners because:

1. It adds value to multiple Smart Home applications without adding any new management tasks.
2. It requires no new hardware or wiring to be installed.
3. It doesn’t introduce a new vendor relationship into the family.

WiFi Motion appeals to ISPs because:

1. It offers multiple additional revenue streams from the same network infrastructure.
2. It’s easy to implement because it requires no new hardware and because the software fits easily into their software update distribution mechanism.
3. It reduces customer turnover.

Expect Cognitive Systems and ISPs to also turn their attention to businesses and government. They operate extensive facilities that can benefit from the same motion-sensing technology.

What experience with Smart Home automation can you contribute? We’d love to read your opinion. You can share that with us below. Select the checkmark for agreement or the X for disagreement. In either case, you’ll be asked if you also want to send your comments directly to our editorial team.

Morse Micro, a fast-growing fabless semiconductor company focused on Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and leading electronics manufacturer Chicony Electronics, have today announced a strategic partnership to deliver Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow™ IP cameras to market.

Long- range, Low-power Wireless Cameras Set to Revolutionize IoT Security and Deliver Peace of Mind

SYDNEY, January 23, 2023 – Morse Micro, a fast-growing fabless semiconductor company focused on Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and leading electronics manufacturer Chicony Electronics, have today announced a strategic partnership to deliver Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow™ IP cameras to market. A major breakthrough in IoT security, the collaboration will significantly improve the range and reliability of camera equipment through cutting-edge wireless technology.

By incorporating Wi-Fi HaLow into the designs, these best-in-class wireless cameras will deliver 10x farther reach than traditional Wi-Fi 6 cameras operating at 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Wi-Fi HaLow, based on the new IEEE 802.11ah standard, operates at frequencies below 1GHz, which allows for better Wi-Fi penetration through walls and other obstacles. Thanks to its ultra-low power consumption, this new technology will also enable battery-powered IP cameras to run for years. Wi-Fi HaLow cameras will also include state-of-the-art WPA3 security for peace of mind at every angle.

Leveraging FCC-certified reference designs, anchored by Morse Micro’s MM6108 microchip, Chicony’s Wi-Fi HaLow cameras come to market as a global first. They will support both indoor and outdoor environments, allowing users to monitor entire locations without the need for cabling or Wi-Fi extenders.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the Chicony team to bring the first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED HaLow IoT security cameras to market. With its broad product offerings and global reach, Chicony is the perfect partner for this milestone agreement and will support Morse Micro in achieving scale for our Wi-Fi HaLow technology,” said Michael De Nil, co-founder and chief executive officer at Morse Micro. “Chicony’s expertise and authority in the IoT security market are proven, and we are excited to have gained the team’s endorsement of Wi-Fi HaLow to enable greater reach and reliability for their products. Our collaboration with Chicony builds on the excitement and momentum of Wi-Fi HaLow across the globe as we expand our portfolio and accelerate the use of our technology across a range of applications.”

“For IoT environments, not all Wi-Fi is created equal. No other protocol comes close to meeting the unique requirements of power-sensitive wireless security cameras as effectively and efficiently as Wi-Fi HaLow,” said Mandy Tsai, General Manager of Chicony VIP BU. “By partnering with Morse Micro, we aim to scale the design and production of Wi-Fi HaLow connected cameras to meet growing global demand for robust, long-range connectivity. Next-generation Wi-Fi HaLow video cameras will reach farther with sub-GHz signals, operate longer on batteries and will be easier to deploy than existing cameras that connect in the crowded 2.4 GHz spectrum.”

About Chicony
Chicony was established in February 1983, and company headquarters are located in the Sanchong District of New Taipei City. Chicony is a listed company in Taiwan and the TWSE stock code is 2385. After 40 years of hard work and operation, the company has become a transnational enterprise of professional ODM/OEM manufacturer basing in Thailand, Suzhou / Dongguan/ Chongqing in China and in the Czech Republic. The company also has branches in the US and Japan. Chicony’s business centers around the manufacture of computer peripheral products and video-image products. The four major product lines are input devices, portable keyboard modules, visual and image products as well as camera modules. Keyboards, Internet cameras and Notebook camera modules are our world-leading products. www.chicony.com

About Morse Micro
Founded in 2016, Morse Micro is a fast-growing fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Sydney, Australia with offices in the UK, USA, China, Japan, Taiwan and India. With over AU $200M in capital raised to date, the company is the largest and best-funded Wi-Fi HaLow company in the world. Morse Micro is focused on developing Wi-Fi HaLow solutions and enabling next-generation connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT). By changing the status quo of current Wi-Fi protocols Morse Micro is pushing the boundaries of our digital future, driving transformation and enhancing connectivity across the globe. Through its world-class team of Wi-Fi chip engineers, Morse Micro is now sampling its Wi-Fi Alliance and FCC-certifiable MM6108 production silicon: the fastest, smallest, lowest power and longest range Wi-Fi HaLow chip available in the market. For more information, visit: https://www.morsemicro.com/

Kelly Poffenberger
Green Flash Media
kelly@gflashmedia.com
714-553-9071

STOCKHOLM – October 5,  2020 – Telkom Indonesia, owner of one of the world’s largest Wi-Fi networks, Indonesia Wi-Fi, celebrates six years in partnership with Aptilo Networks. Telkom has now completed an upgrade to the lastest version of the Aptilo Service Management Platform™ (SMP) with increased capacity and enhanced geographical redundancy.

Telkom’s Indonesia Wi-Fi network is one of the businest in the world serving more than 70 million users with 400,000+ Wi-Fi access points. To be ready for the future, this upgrade further improves capacity and strengthens geographical redundancy to ensure a consistent service.

Indonesia Wi-Fi is available with high-capacity fiber backhaul nationwide in the world’s largest archipelago country with 237 million people spread across 17,000 islands. Users are consuming 15-25 Petabyte (PB) of data per month. To put things in perspective, 25 PB is equivalent to eight million hours of full HD video.

“Managing Wi-Fi services with 400,000+ access points (including homespot) and 70 million users across 17,000 islands puts extreme demands on the Wi-Fi service management core platform,” said Irwan Indriastanto, Senior Manager Wireless Product, Telkom Indonesia. “Our customers deserve the best high-performance Wi-Fi service available. We are very pleased to expand our relationship with Aptilo to enhance the capabilities of our Wi-Fi service.”

Telkom Indonesia also offers a first class business-to-business (B2B) Wi-Fi service which addresses all customer segments including enterprise, SME, wholesale and retail. Through their WICO (Wi-Fi Corner) product, Telkom Indonesia helps governments build smart cities and provide social services.

“We are proud to have enabled one of the world’s largest public Wi-Fi services for the last six years,” said Paul Mikkelsen, CEO, Aptilo Networks. “We are also impressed at how Telkom Indonesia makes the most out of the innovations from Aptilo and Wi-Fi equipment vendors.”

About Aptilo Networks

Aptilo Networks, an Enea company, is a leading provider of carrier-class systems to manage data services with advanced functions for authentication, policy control and charging. Aptilo Service Management Platform™ (SMP) has become synonymous with Wi-Fi service management and Wi-Fi offload in large-scale deployments with 100+ operators in more than 75 countries, and is a critical component of Wi-Fi calling and IoT.

Five smart home trends in 2022