High five for 5G

The new service, the speedy 5G connection, is already out in the US as a pre-standard network by Verizon. However, standards-based networks of both Verizon and AT&T are so close to launching that we can already call 2018 a breakthrough year for the technology. 5G-capable smartphones from Samsung and other vendors (not Apple, though) are also in the pipeline for next year.

The EU takes a slower approach but it has just accepted new measures that would help the rollout of 5G in Europe. Industry body GSMA estimates 1.3bn 5G-connections by 2025, covering 40% of the world’s population. When in full swing, the new networks will allow for the rise of IoT and faster and safer connections to everyone.

Robos Rising

We’ve seen the robots before but never in such an abundance. Chatbots flooded the whole internet, taking over simpler customer service tasks, answering plain questions and, in case of more complex queries, they redirect the visitor to a human assistant. And those are only the robots hiding behind websites and only showing a set of characters of themselves.

Others get a physical body and come out to the limelight, though. SoftBank Robotics’ humanoid robot named Pepper made its first appearance already in 2014 but it has grown up: it now responds to human emotions and can answer questions about products or services. Two of its German versions, Luna and Monaco Pepper, take their role one step further. They have a permanent home in one of Bremen’s Sparkasse bank branches and keep regular contact with clients. They can even tell jokes! But, in the hindsight, there is more than that: by learning every day, they have the potential to take over more complex tasks as well.

Artificial or Virtual, Both a Reality Already

Smart glasses creating an augmented reality (AR) have found their way to the offices this year. At the Consumer Electronics Week in the summer in New York, ThirdEye Gen presented its X1 glasses: workers who wear them in the office can make remote colleagues see exactly what they see. These advantages can also be translated into serious savings in operational costs: according to Forbes’ report, as much as 40% can be achieved using AR or VR-technology in certain industries. One of the businesses in the know, French banking giant BNP Paribas, has also announced the rollout of a VR-based app and a set of new services for its retail customers last year. It allows the clients to manage their accounts in a different way or make decisions easier but it also allows the bank to create a new type of operation.

Foldable phones

California-based Royole and Samsung announced their own foldable mobile phone models almost simultaneously. Both can transform into tablets when unfolded – arguably the most genuine announcements this year. Creating a totally new product category, it has the potential to create a new definition of work as well.

Royole’s Flexpai phone, when folded, works as a dual screen with both screens operating independently or in interaction with each other as needed. It works on the Flexpai+ platform that can be integrated into other devices or applications as well, giving the California startup quite a growth potential. Meanwhile, Samsung has also presented its foldable phone, though only available commercially from 2019. The company calls the display technology Infinity Flex Display and Android has already announced to support it.

Hybrids Going One Step Further

Lenovo didn’t sit on its laurels, either, and came up with an innovation in the laptop-tablet hybrid category. The Yoga Book C930, presented at the IFA trade show in Berlin this year, has dual-screen with a 10.8-inch size, with the secondary display being an e-ink one that can also morph into a virtual keyboard. Actually, this second screen has three functions: keyboard, notepad, and e-reader. The first screen is a Windows-based regular display. Despite the many features of the device, Lenovo might still have a hard time selling it given the non-exceptional nature of either function but it is still an interesting product worth mentioning.  

AI in CRM

AI being the winning technology in the field is a claim also made by CRM market leader Salesforce and IDC, based on a recent joint study. According to them, 28% of the respondent companies already have AI in place, while 41% plan to have it in the next two years.

Salesforce itself has upgraded its Einstein software this year, giving it a new feature that integrates customer service tasks in the regular service offering and allows Einstein to handle routine requests building on customer history, natural language processing, and machine learning. one of the other major announcements of this summer was Microsoft committing to AI-based analytics. The tools to provide this experience include chatbots, predictive lead scoring based on communication traffic patterns, and automated welcome emails, among others.

Newcomers to the market already have AI in their initial offerings and investors are keen to support such projects. One of the latest announcements is of Spiro Technologies that claims downright the title of “the first AI-powered CRM”: it has raised USD 1.5mn in seed funding that will be used to add even more AI features to the product.

Fast Finance with Apps

Let’s not forget about mobile app innovations, some true delicacies for an enterprise mobility vendor like us. Our favorite this year was also awarded a Mobie Award by Enterprise Mobility Exchange as the most effective mobile app integration: financing solution specialist DLL’s Express Finance. It is a sales tool that helps sales reps quote financing payments to customers, a complex task with many scenarios with a process that is just as confusing for the clients as it is for the sales workers.

The new app, Express Finance, is a user-facing app that simplified the pricing process by offering a real-time pricing service, proposal generation, and POS closings. The reps can find all the relevant information they need to quote a payment in the app, no other information source needed. As a result, they managed to achieve a 90% reduction in their time-to-quote rates. DLL calls it an amazing success and it’s hard to think otherwise – we are glad to see the direction enterprise app development is going!

We keep you in the loop of financial technology and mobile solutions news – Sign up for the SCOLVO newsletter now:

The post Outstanding Digital Innovations in 2018 appeared first on Scolvo.

Microsoft

October began with a series of new announcements from Microsoft concerning the Surface laptop product line. The device boldly named Laptop got an upgrade, so Laptop 2 comes with an 8th generation quad-core processor and a longer battery life. The Pro 6, the laptop-tablet hybrid, is also equipped with an 8th-gen Intel processor and claims to keep going for 13.5 hours while still remaining lightweight. However, the USB-C ports missed by many in the previous years are, well, still missing.

What are the business advantages?

No huge changes or fireworks here, but the latest generation of processors does provide an even more seamless work experience. Both the processor and the keyboard allow the devices to operate silently – no small feat for the office! And the longer battery hours make it a reliable slate throughout the workday.

Apple

The end of October has seen Apple taking it up another level with its hardware keynote on the new MacBook Air. The most awaited announcement was that about the ever-popular MacBook Air coming to life again. The 13.3-inch Retina display is thinner and more accurate, the keyboard is more precise and responsive, and is more resistant to dust. The touchpad finally dropped the click function and now supports Force Touch instead. There is also a fingerprint-management function by Apple’s own T2 security chip. Tablets are not gone either, apparently, seeing the iPad Pro has also got an update, along with the Apple Pencil, both business favorites. The novelties iPad Pro has to offer, include Face ID, an A12X processor providing better AR and gaming experiences, and it also magnetically charges the Apple Pen.

What are the business advantages?

Speaking about the MacBook Air, the security chip is a feature that makes a lot of sense in a business environment, but the new display is also something that has long been on the wishlist for corporate users. It should be a bottom line that the battery doesn’t have to be charged for 8 hours and that the laptop is easy to carry around with its 1.24kg weight.

Google

October was busy for Google too, as it announced the new Pixel Slate, among other hardware innovations. Pixel Slate is the first to feature Chrome operating system on a tablet, further enhancing the tablet vs Chromebook feel and clearly giving a Microsoft a run for their money with Surface. It also has a split-screen option and the Chrome browser really shines when compared to even a PC environment. Keyboard and pen are sold separately, though, and the price of the total set (approaching the $1,000 range) positions it at the higher end.

What are the business advantages?  

Other than the quietness and backlit keys of the keyboard that is sung by many, the Pixel Slate is closing the gap again between tablets and laptops. It’s arrangements of display and keyboard and cover make it more comfortably usable at a desk than on the lap, while still being light enough to carry.

Runner-ups

Next to the giants, there is also room for other companies, too, to present their hardware innovations. On the laptop and tablet front, large international tech gatherings, such as the IFA in Berlin, served as a background for them. In the laptop category, vendors like Lenovo, Dell or Acer all focused on creating the lightest devices possible experimenting with different alloys, while keeping performance on a high level by including 8th gen processors of all kinds. On the verge of categories, Lenovo’s Yoga Book has got an important upgrade: C930 has dual-screen with a 10.8-inch size, with the secondary display being an e-ink one that can also morph into a virtual keyboard. Arguably the most genuine announcements came from Flexpai and Samsung, almost simultaneously, about foldable phones that can be transformed into tablets when unfolded. Creating a totally new product category, it has the potential to create a new definition of work as well.

What are the business advantages?

As strong believers in doodling, the features of the new Yoga Book are impressive and make it a versatile business companion (although also a pricey one). On another note, Acer deservedly made headlines with its 15-inch laptops both weighing under one kilogram – now challenge that for portability!

We keep you in the loop of financial technology and mobile solutions news – Sign up for the SCOLVO newsletter now:

The post It’s Not Laptop or Tablet Anymore – Fast and Light Wins the Race appeared first on Scolvo.