Accessory-Powered Apps

Is Smart Technology About to Change the Face of Product Development?

Mobile technology has exploded and consumers are increasingly walking around with relatively powerful computers in their back pockets. Given the current state of the smartphone market, it is not unreasonable to suggest that within a few years the vast majority of people in developed countries will be regularly carrying devices consisting of a large multi-touch display, processor, memory, battery, GPS chip, network connectivity, camera, microphone and speaker. That is an awful lot of technology packed into a small device, but it is what makes these devices so useful and flexible.

A trend of exploiting this mobile technology is beginning to emerge which in certain sectors has the potential to turn product development on its head. Put simply, the principle is:  Why continue to design and develop single function, stand-alone products that duplicate many of the technology elements already present in the consumer’s pocket?

Let’s take the common example of a satellite navigation device. Typically, these devices consist of a colour display, a speaker, some memory to store maps, a battery, a simple processor and of course the GPS chip. All that technology already exists in a top end smartphone. It simply needs the software to pull it all together and make it work. Smartphones are beginning to eliminate the need for dedicated sat-nav units. A whole product category will likely be made obsolete. The same can be said of compact cameras. Only a real photography enthusiast would bother to carry a dedicated camera when they have a smartphone in their pocket.

It is all well and good for smartphones to eliminate the need for technology which is entirely duplicated by the phone but what about products which need more specialist hardware? This is where Accessory-powered Apps come in.

Accessory-powered Apps are products which consist of an application (app) for a mobile device and a physical accessory which connects to provide additional hardware capability. This approach allows a device manufacturer to utilise all the relevant technology from an existing smartphone or tablet and only create the task specific hardware elements. For example, there are now several i-phone compatible blood pressure monitors available (Withings Blood Pressure monitor shown right). A consumer can buy the accessory which looks like a traditional blood pressure strap but has a cable which connects to an i-phone. The user downloads the app, connects up, and can utilise the i-phone not just as a digital display but as a data storage and management system. Graphs charting previous readings can be reviewed and the device becomes not just a measurement tool but a recording, analysis and diagnostic tool.

The benefit to the manufacturer is that they can offer more for less - a more functional product for lower investment and manufacturing cost. The benefit to the consumer is that they don’t need to carry around an entire second device to perform this function while simultaneously maximising the value of the investment in their mobile device.

However, there are downsides for the manufacturer. Besides introducing a reliance on external hardware, the opportunity to create an encompassing brand experience is somewhat reduced. In most cases, the mobile device becomes the main point of focus for the user and the accessory itself is likely to be far less physically prominent due to its simplified state and reduced size.

In addition, the established business model may need to change. Unless there are significant functional improvements or added value, it might be difficult for a device manufacturer to justify the same price for an accessory-powered app as it previously did for a stand-alone device.

For these reasons, the software app itself becomes a much more significant part of the product. The app becomes the primary opportunity to create and reinforce the brand experience as this is where the majority of user interaction takes place. In addition, the value of the software to the user increases as it becomes a much more highly visible part of the product. The process of downloading and installing the app itself is an extra step in the purchase of a device which also serves to highlight the software element. This increase in perceived value allows opportunities to deliver paid-for software upgrades over the lifecycle of the physical accessory. Perhaps by adding additional functionality or user enhancements to the software over the course of the product’s life, an additional revenue stream can be created which supplements the lost revenue from selling a simpler accessory rather than a full blown product. Software subscription options may even become commonplace.

As mobile devices improve in capability, consumers will increasingly be drawn toward solutions which allow them to utilise their existing hardware in many more flexible ways. The user benefits of accessory-powered apps are clear so the challenge will fall to existing and new device manufacturers to deliver these type of products. Let us also not forget that this accessory-powered app model could be a real positive step for more sustainable NPD. Doing more with less and making the most of what we already have are key sustainability themes so perhaps we, as consumers, have a responsibility to demand this type of product where possible? Either way, it looks like the market in smartphone accessories is about to grow very quickly indeed and businesses which rise to this challenge are likely to reap significant reward.

From a design point of view, a key challenge of this model is in the placing of a much higher perceived value and therefore design emphasis on the software. The visual brand experience, the user interaction and the fusion of the hardware and software experience becomes key.

Currently, software can often be relegated to near the end of the product development process while focus is taken up by developing hardware. Software is sometimes seen as quick to develop as it doesn’t incur the long leadtimes of physical manufacturing. It is not uncommon for software development to not even begin until hardware designs have been released to manufacture. With accessory-powered apps, the most successful designs will be those where hardware and software are developed in a parallel, holistic way rather than as separate disciplines. Only tight integration between accessories and apps will result in a compelling, coherent and consistent user experience. User-centric design remains crucial and user focussed research will continue to yield critical insights. However, this user understanding needs to be extended with software usability testing and prototyping forming an additional feedback loop into the overall design process. User expectation of software experience has never been so high and designing those experiences is now a key challenge for device manufacturers.

Phil Jenkins is Senior Design Consultant at Kinneir Dufort with particular interest in digital experience design