In real life you may regularly see 15 friends, while on Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat you regularly see hundreds. Social media is nothing new; in fact, it’ll be hard to find someone who isn’t on some form of social media. With the rise of smartphones and mobile devices, everything is more accessible.
When you wake up in the morning the first thing you check is your phone. Look around when you walk down any busy street, or when you wait in a long line – the one thing everyone has in common is a cell phone in his or her hands. You probably interact with most friends on social media more often than you see them in person. Social media sites noticed this trend, and now they’re on mobile too. Facebook and Twitter are obviously there, but then there some that can only be accessed from your phone – Instagram, Snapchat, Tinder and Vine (thats not all!).
In the U.S. alone, there are over 100 million smartphone social network users this year. You complain about wanting more data each month, wanting faster WiFi, and wanting the newest iPhone upgrade. Whether it’s your smartphone, your tablet, or your wearable device (are you wearing an Apple Watch yet?), odds are you’re always connected.
Facebook ads seem to know what you’re thinking, and advertisements for your favorite restaurant follow you around the Internet.There is a constant stream of information being pushed to mobile users. Have you ever walked by a Starbucks and received a notification about their newest drink? Or shopped at Target when your phone buzzed with the latest deal? These are beacons, and they’re being used more and more; advertisers are using your phone’s location to send you real-time offers.
It’s not all bad; real-time notifications could help you save money, or they could let you know that your favorite item is back in stock. Yes, beacons can be invasive, but they can also be helpful – only time will tell how they impact your shopping experience. If you haven’t experienced beacons yet, you will soon.
The question is, are you okay with this? Do you want every store you shop in to know exactly how much time you spent walking down each aisle? Or to send you notifications as you’re trying on clothes?
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