EXTERNAL EFFECTS
Vehicle Security Tops List for Consumers By Jamie Sorcher
Tech Is Cool for School
What’s Going On: August signals the start of sweeping sand out of the back of the car and making a list for that back-to-school shopping trip — a major event for everyone from big box retailers to smaller specialty stores that offer specials, discounts and extra services. It’s also when everyone in the family purchases electronics. Surveys show that laptops and tablets, as well as smartphones, will top many lists.
How It Could Affect You: For retailers, this is prime time to target high school and college kids who may have a car — possibly for the first time — and will need accessories like GPS or a head unit that syncs up with their iPhone or Droid. Targeting teens is a smart
way for retailers to tap into the end-of-summer season since these folks have an estimated shopping power of $2 billion. They are primed to make plenty of purchases as they get ready for the school year.
Android Amps It Up With New Devices
What’s Going On:
Who doesn’t have a smartphone these days? Not surpris- ingly,
sales show
no signs of this tech category slow- ing down. A recent Nielsen report re- vealed that, among
new mobile buyers in the United States, two-thirds chose a smartphone instead of a feature phone. Nielsen also showed that Android phones still hold a large lead at 52 percent to the iPhone’s 34 percent.
How It Could Affect You: As popular as the iPhone is, it is behind the Android handsets — although both operating systems have the po- tential to greatly impact head unit sales. With the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy SIII and HTC One, it is expected that these devices will keep Android sales strong for the next few months. The anticipated arrival of the iPhone5 — due this fall — will also have an impact. It is rumored to have a 4-inch screen and a redesigned exterior that features a sleek, uni-body case.
users on the site ranked
Safety First, Style Second What’s Going On:
Safety tops the checklist when buying a new car, according to a report by Swa-
please.com,
a
full-service online marketplace of in-process vehicle leases. More than 60 percent of
safety first before style and
appearance (30 percent), luxury and convenience (12 per- cent) and electronic features (9 percent). Among the safety features considered most important included a blind-spot warning system, followed by hands-free calling and a back- up camera.
How It Could Affect You: It’s encouraging to know that with all the extra bells and whistles available in vehicles today, this bread-and-butter business of safety and security is still viable. For con- sumers who don’t have the opportunity to purchase new vehicles with all the up-to-date safety features, here is an opportunity for the aftermarket and retailers to provide them. Hands-free devices, blind-spot systems and back-up cameras could be areas of increased potential.
28 Mobile Electronics August 2012
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