One of the biggest and most unexpected trends is that Apple TV, the streaming device, has given rise to the Apple Signage trend. Though there is no way to know the numbers for sure, it is strongly believed that the digital signage industry is propping up Apple TV sales, and that if it weren’t for digital signs, then Apple TV would have crumbled under its competition.
Things Are Looking Good
The 2020-2022 pandemic helped to make digital signs more popular than ever. They were a great way for companies to practice social distancing, and the fact that China is still churning out signs at crazy low costs is yet more reason why more and more people are using digital signs.
Software for digital signs is cheap and easy-to-use, as are the various content creation tools that people use. There are streaming devices that make it easier to manage several digital signs at a time, and mostly all the hardware you use for your digital signs is plug and play. The amount of installation that takes place is very limited.
Building Around Digital Signs
If you are old enough, you will remember conversations about newer buildings being designed with air conditioning systems and large-scale venting systems already installed. Instead of these massive vents and systems being placed inside suitable buildings and across ceilings, the buildings were designed with places for these systems to go (they no longer needed to fit air-con into a building, the building was designed with air-con inside already). Then came the days when office buildings had easily-convertible rooms to be made into server rooms.
Nowadays, office, commercial and industrial buildings are being built with already-installed digital signs. They are part of the original plans, they are not something you work into the building as an afterthought.
Trying to Make Augmented Reality Work
There are still companies out there that are trying to make augmented reality work. They include things like mirrors that dress you in certain items that the store sells, or mirrors that change your hair color so that you can see what you will look like. There are zoos and amusement parks that try to use augmented reality to teach people things, and that try to trick people into thinking ghosts are really walking around their amusement parks.
People Are Expecting More
The only challenge to digital signs users is that people are expecting more and more from their digital signs and giving them more is tricky. For example, a user may expect an interactive sign, may expect the ability to check stock, make orders and pay. They may be expecting QR codes and Blue-Tooth connectivity. They may also want to draw information from the signs that they can keep on their phones or may want to download the store app using the digital sign.
These are all great features, but they pose a challenge to stores and merchants because they are all pretty tricky to set up. It isn’t as tricky as it used to be, but it still requires installation, honing, security and due diligence checks, not to mention the fact that new ways to pay means insurance policy amendments. Using digital signs to their full potential is tricky.
More Signs Means More Power
The strives in technology that have been made are amazing, and digital signs now use a fraction of the power they used to use. However, they still need power. Even something as silly as having enough plug sockets can balloon into overloading problems and wire safety problems. The power has to be balanced, and each sign has to be correctly started up and installed if the merchant wants to gain the full benefit of the signs.
